The Girl Next Door From Hell
by RioloverBardenBellaforlife
Summary: Part 2 of 4 Now proud parents living at the Blu Bird Sanctuary, Blu and Jewel have a new neighbor. But she is not who she seems. Ana attempts to work her way into Blu and Jewel's group of friends to obtain the next item for her boss's evil plans. But when an unimaginable tragedy occurs, will our group of heroes rise above the odds, or fall like flightless birds?
1. Chapter 1: It Was Only A Dream

**Author's Notes**

**Hello everyone and welcome to the second installment in my Rio fanfiction series! I am just as excited for you all to read this one. I hope it does the first one justice. Big thanks again to David Kraft for beta reading my chapters. Please review and leave me your thoughts on the chapters. It only helps me improve the experience. Alright, enough from me! You're here for our favorite birds! Well… let's see what they're up to. Time to fly!**

**Chapter 1: It Was Only A Dream**

Just like every other day, the new day in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil began with the first rays of the morning sun rising on the horizon. Those who may have been up early that morning to catch a flight, or were on their way to a morning shift or school would have realized it wasn't all bad as they were able to witness first hand what the Christ the Redeemer statue got to see each morning. The fiery orange light transformed what had once been a black night sky into a glowing pink with purple undertones. Birds that were eager to start their day could be heard chirping and squawking throughout the region. Fish leaped and hopped in many of Brazil's rivers, enjoying the warmth the sun provided to the water that often turned cold in the evening. The soothing aroma of flowers that had awoken to gather energy greeted the wildlife of the jungle. However, there were still some animals and birds who preferred to sleep past these wonders of nature. Typically, it was those that had children and needed to save up as much energy as possible before another day of chasing them around unfolded. Two birds were doing just that in a hollowed out tree on the grounds of the Blu Bird Sanctuary. The male's name was Blu and the female's, Jewel.

Once upon a time, Blu, the Spix's macaw, was just somebody's pet living in a tiny bookstore in a no-name town in the frozen north of Minnesota. However, just over a year ago, a certain ornithologist discovered him dressed up in a pirate costume in one of his owner's home videos on Youtube. That man wished to bring Blu to Rio to meet the last female of his kind, so they could mate and save their species. That very female, named Jewel, was now sleeping peacefully wrapped in her mate's strong, dark blue wings. A content smile took up residence on her beak. Presently, she dreamed about all the things she and Blu would do with their kids today. She was almost positive it would be a lovely day outside today. They could play hide-and-seek, tag, go hunting for exotic fruit, the possibilities were endless. Her fantasies were interrupted, unfortunately, when a lightly slumbering Blu suddenly jumped in his sleep. Jewel opened an eye and shifted her neck to look at Blu. The slightest bit of concern became evident in her eyes when she noticed the expression on Blu's face. His features were all scrunched as if he had smelled something bad, and when she listened closely she thought she heard him murmuring to himself. She turned away from Blu once more, but did not return to sleep. _Guess he's having a nightmare. _She shook her head as softly as possible so not to disturb Blu more. _But why? Everything has been going great for us since we moved in. The kids are developing perfectly on track, and their personalities sure are unexpected surprises to say the least. _An amused smile replaced the concerned frown on her face as she shifted her neck in the other direction behind her to take a look at her four prize children. Her heart melted with joy as she watched their little bellies bob up and down as they breathed while they slept. She moved one wing over her heart the way proud parents often do when they see a child accept an award. Right now in her mind they were winning the contest for most adorable chicks. Each was sleeping on their own mat of palm leaves that Blu and Jewel had placed down onto the bark floor of their home the night they moved in. The makeshift beds were a few inches apart from each other, so the chicks could have room to toss and turn in their sleep. No one liked to be squished at night; well at least Jewel didn't.

Right now Blu was squishing her and she was beginning to feel annoyed. He was squeezing her tighter and tighter with his wings, and Jewel's annoyance began to turn to worry that Blu was going to choke the life out of her. "B-Blu!" She spoke in a voice that she hoped was loud enough for Blu's subconscious to register, yet quiet enough so she didn't wake the children at dawn. Normally, the family slept in for a few more hours at least. However, Blu's behavior right now was anything but normal. He began to shake his head rapidly, the way one would do in firm disagreement to something someone else had said. Jewel's heart started to pound in her chest. Something was really wrong with Blu and she was getting scared now. "Blu, I don't know what's going on but you need to let me go, okay? Let me go!" Jewel no longer cared if her chicks heard her, she just didn't want to be suffocated at the hands of her own mate. She willed Blu to hear her, but he seemed too busy talking to whomever he was dreaming about. Suddenly, just as Jewel's face was beginning to turn purple, Blu relaxed his grip along with the look on his face. Jewel immediately sprang up from where she was laying next to Blu and scooted in front of him on the scratchy, wooden floor. She sat up, all the while taking deep breaths to refill her lungs with the oxygen Blu had deprived her of. When she finally calmed down, her eyes scanned her mate who was once again sleeping peacefully. Jewel contemplated what to do next. Should she leave Blu alone now that whatever he seemed to be freaking out over had stopped? Or, should she wake him up and ask him what the hell was going on. Jewel eventually decided on the latter. She crawled over to Blu's sleeping body on her talons and wings and shook him gently. In a few seconds, Blu cracked his eyelids open ever so slightly. It took another moment or two; however, for his eyes to adjust completely to the darkness and to focus on Jewel.

"Hey." Blu cocked his head questioningly at Jewel, unsure why she would wake him in the middle of the night. "What's the matter," he whispered," is something wrong?"

Jewel's eyes widened in disbelief at what she had just been asked. "I was going to ask you the same thing." Jewel crossed her wings in front of her chest. "I think you were having a nightmare or something. At one point, you nearly choked me to death!" Jewel gestured to the space where she had been laying in Blu's wings when the incident occurred. "Anything you want to tell me?" She raised her eyebrows in concern, but also in impatience at Blu's lack of comprehension. Blu appeared to stare through his mate for a minute or two as he contemplated what she was bringing to his attention. Suddenly, everything he dreamt about hit his mind full force once more. Blu instantly began to panic as the images assaulted him mercilessly. Jewel's eyes widened as Blu began to hyperventilate. _Okay, something is definitely wrong. _"Breathe Blu!" Jewel cocked his head so that he was looking right into her eyes. "Blu it's me! I won't let anything happen to you. Just please calm down so I can help you." Jewel took one of Blu's wings in hers and squeezed it reassuringly. A frightened tear worked its way down her cheek. She would have never expected when she went to bed last night that she would be dealing with her mate practically having a heart attack the next morning. Something about knowing that Jewel was indeed by his side and safe calmed Blu down enough where he could slow his breathing down to a normal pace. Jewel let out a huge relieved sigh and wiped another tear from her eyelid. She released Blu's wing from hers and moved her body so that she was directly in front of him. "Blu, what's wrong?" She looked into his eyes pleadingly. "Please, tell me."

Blu inhaled and exhaled slowly a few more times. He had lost color in his feathers right before he began having his mini-panic attack and the natural blue of his feathers was now beginning to be restored. Blu shifted his gaze around the interior of the tree; he wanted to look anywhere but into Jewel's eyes. The reason was he was about to lie to her. He couldn't bring himself to tell her about what he had seen. He didn't want her to worry. _Don't be silly. _Blu looked in the direction of a corner of the ceiling as if he was seeing a mirror image of himself floating in the air chastising him. _That's not why you don't want to tell her. You don't want her to think you're silly just because you're worried about it._ Blu sighed. He knew his mind was right. If he told her what he'd seen Jewel would just tell him that he was being paranoid and getting himself all worked up over nothing. So, he took a deep breath and tried his best to hold her gaze as he lied through his beak. "Nothing's wrong." Blu smiled, hoping to instill confidence in Jewel that what he said was the truth. "I just had a little nightmare about being back in Minnesota."

Jewel narrowed her eyes incredulously at Blu and crossed her wings disapprovingly once more. "What's so scary about Minnesota?"

"Oh, I'll tell you what's scary about Minnesota." Blu moved ever so slightly back from Jewel so that he'd have room to spread his wings wide for effect. "When I lived there, I knew two of the worst geese that have ever lived on this planet. Their names were Chloe and Alice and they used to bully me all the time." This part was true of course. Blu had been hurt numerous times by the teasing the geese used to do to him, so Blu tried to recall that pain to form an anguished expression on his face.

His face must have been convincing because Jewel's distrusting look softened into pity. "You got bullied?" Her eyes widened with sorrow. "What did they do?"

"Well, they used to make fun of me because I couldn't fly and because I never went outside." He shrugged his shoulders. "I mean, they were probably jealous. Not of the inability to fly of course but the fact that I didn't have to fly south for the winter and that I was always protected from the cold." Blu leaned in close so that he could whisper this next part into Jewel's ear. He made his voice extra shaky to make the point that this was the worst part of the story. "A-and, sometimes, when I was trying to relax at the window of Linda's bookstore, they would throw snowballs at me!

Jewel put her wings over her beak in shock. She had no idea what a snowball was per se, but she sure knew what a ball was and that getting hit with a ball hurt. She always hated it when she had to play the position of goalie with her friends during a soccer match and they kicked the soccer ball right at her. Often, she would have sore limbs for a week after those events. "Gee Blu, I sure wouldn't like dreaming about childhood bullies either." She rubbed a wing behind her head and blushed sheepishly. "I'm sorry I wasn't being all that sympathetic at the beginning. I guess it's because I still don't really understand why you almost killed me.

Blu chuckled. "Ha, yeah that's because I imagined that I was able to punch through the glass window of Linda's bookstore and when I got outside I started beating Chloe and Alice up." He looked down at the wooden bark of the tree and shuffled one of his talons awkwardly. "I may have choked them during that little altercation, but to be fair they deserved it. They kept calling me nerd bird!"

This made Jewel laugh and she punched Blu in the chest with her wing playfully. "Needless to say, it wasn't Chloe or Alice you were squeezing the life out of, it was me!" She shook her head at Blu exasperatedly. Even after living with him and raising kids together for a year, she still didn't know what to do with him sometimes.

Blu laughed sheepishly and held his wings behind his back. "Heh heh, sorry about that." He smiled ashamed and stroked Jewel with one of his wings. "I didn't hurt you did I?"

"No, you put Alice or Kate or whoever down in time." Jewel grinned at Blu. She couldn't stay mad at him for very long no matter what it was that he had done. "And, you're certainly not a nerd bird. You're more like a genius bird," she complimented."

"Thanks." Blu grinned and nodded his head, unsure of what else to say. He didn't know if he would ever feel truly comfortable being Jewel's mate. He loved her more than himself, but even after all this time the fact that he was living with her almost seemed like a dream. He still felt that at any moment he could wake up in his old birdcage on the downstairs floor of Blue Macaw Books, ready to start another deathly boring day with Linda. One day, he prayed that he would no longer feel awkward around her. That during moments like this he could think of something witty to say to make her feel calm, but today was clearly not that day. He frowned and shifted his head in the direction of where they had been sleeping before everything negative occurred. "Well, since it's over now we'd better get back to sleep, huh?"

Jewel nodded slowly. She sure hoped Blu's strange yet slightly adorable nightmares about his childhood were over. They needed to restock their fruit supply in the morning she remembered, and she and Blu had to be energized enough to be able to scour the nearby land. She looked over at the large mat of banana leaves that served as their bed. "Yeah. Yeah," she agreed, "Let's go back to bed."

Blu smiled and placed one of his wings on Jewel's back. He started to lead her back to their bed. However, just as they were laying down, they heard a small voice whisper from the corner: "Mommy?"

Jewel closed her eyes tightly and cursed under her breath. She was angry at herself and Blu for disturbing one or possibly more of their chicks while they tried to get a good night's sleep. She let out her upset emotions so the owner of the voice didn't think she was mad at them, and put on her signature soothing Mother Bird smile. "Hey, what's going on?" Jewel whispered softly. She crept over to her children's beds and noticed that it was Tiago who had called for his mother. The little chick was sitting up in his bed and squinting his eyes as he attempted to find his mother in the dark tree.

As Jewel got closer. Tiago saw her and a calm smile appeared on his beak. He too crawled over to meet her and hugged her tightly when he reached her. "You guys woke me up." He looked up at Jewel with curious eyes. "Why were you guys fighting?" Tiago's face which usually painted the picture of a devious, guilty individual was now filled with worry. His beak was even curled adorably in a nervous frown. If there was one thing that scared the normally tough bird more than anything it was the rare times that his parents got into an argument, no matter how small.

"Honey don't worry." Jewel held Tiago's head close to her chest and stroked the feathers on top of him. "We weren't fighting; your daddy just had a nightmare."

Tiago lifted his head to look in Blu's direction. "Really?" Tiago thought his dad wasn't scared of anything. He always acted super brave when he was around him. "What was it about? Are you scared of the dark too?" Tiago whispered this last bit, just in case one of his siblings were pretending to be asleep and listening to their conversation."

Blu laughed as quietly as he could. "No little guy, it wasn't the dark. I just dreamt I had a run in with some not so nice birds." He stroked Tiago's feathers reassuringly. "It was only a dream though, nobody is going to come bother us."

Tiago let out a relieved sigh. He trusted his parents completely so if they said everything was going to be okay he knew they were telling the truth. "Alright." He nodded his head. "Is it almost time to get up yet?"

Jewel shook her head and laid her son back down on his bed. "Nope, you still have a few more hours to get some rest. However, when we all get up later we're going to go hunting for fruit!"

Tiago's eyes lit up with excitement. "Really?! Oh yay! I can't wait!" Blu put a wing to his beak to shush Tiago who had spoken a little too loudly. Tiago shrank back guiltily. "Sorry." An embarrassed smile played on his beak. He rolled his eyes. "I guess I'll go back to bed, if you guys promise to be quiet this time."

Jewel nuzzled her little boy's beak with her own and tapped him on the head playfully with one of her talons. She raised one of her wings as if she was giving an oath in court. "I solemnly swear that from this moment on Blu and I will not make a peep. Blu, do you agree?"

Blu nodded his head firmly. "I second that decision."

Jewel kissed Tiago's cheek and pulled a palm lead up to his chin to tuck him in. "Good night Tiago. You sleep good now."

Tiago closed his eyes and curled up in a ball once more. "Night Mom." He opened one eye again to look at his father. "Good night Dad."

Blu strokes Tiago's feathers once more. "Night Tiago." Then, he motioned for Jewel to join him in their bed once more. Jewel followed and laid down in the space she had been in before Blu had his scare. Blu wrapped her up in his wings once more. He held a peaceful smile on his beak. "No more freakouts, I swear."

Jewel moved in even closer to Blu's soft, feathery body. They didn't even need a leaf to use as a blanket; they just kept each other warm. "There better not be, or I'm going to go sleep over there." Jewel pointed to a corner of the tree by the entrance. "Then you'll be all alone."

"No, no!" Blu pleaded. "Anything but that!"

Jewel giggled, just happy that she was with Blu right now. "Good night Blu." She stretched her neck a little so she could kiss him goodnight.

"Night Jewel." He laid his head back on the banana leaves and just listened to Jewel's measured breathing as she quickly fell asleep. Unfortunately, Blu wasn't so lucky. His heart began to pound nervously once more and a frown returned to his beak. _That was a close one. Who knew that Chloe and Alice would actually be good for something for once? _Blu's facial expression turned smug at the thought, but it didn't last long as the wheels in his mind kept turning. _You've got to get that flower back Blu, before it's too late. _Blu nodded as if he resolved to do a task someone had just given him. _You can do it buddy. You've overcome so much in your life thus far that if Chloe and Alice could see you now, their jaws would hit the floor. Not only did you learn how to fly, you're living in a jungle. That means you negated the two things they always used to tease you about, being grounded and never going outside. _Blu grinned as he realized this for the first time. Even though he didn't have a nightmare about his least favorite geese tonight, he had had them in the past. There was nothing they could say to bring him down anymore though. He had succeeded above all odds and he had Jewel to thank for that. She made him a better bird in all aspects of his personality. Blu rubbed his beak against his mate's head, causing her to giggle but not wake up. He was sort of glad she didn't; she may have been mad. Now pretty much at peace with himself, Blu closed his eyes as tight as he could and tried to go back to sleep. Still though, in the back of his mind the missing flower tormented his thoughts.


	2. 2 Breakfast With The Blue Macaws

**Chapter 2: Breakfast With The Blue Macaws**

"But Mom, I don't like Brazil nuts!" Tiago pushed the small, plastic bowl of unshelled nuts that Jewel had given him for breakfast away from where he was seated at their dining table made from a large, smooth rock. He crossed his wings stubbornly and looked down at his lap, refusing to eat.

Jewel rolled her eyes and moved the bowl towards her son once more with her wings. "Listen Tiago, I know they're not your favorites but you're going to have to make do until we collect fruit later." She then picked up one of the nuts and made a sort of circular motion with her wing. "Okay, here comes the airplane ready for landing!"

Tiago giggled and opened his beak, allowing Jewel to plop the nut onto his tongue. He chewed it with a big smile on his face. Jewel grinned too, happy that he hadn't outgrown that particular trick yet. His sister Carla; however, wondered when Tiago would mature a little more and stop acting like a baby. An annoyed grimace on her face, she removed one of her earbuds and shifted her attention to her brother. "Are you freaking serious?" Carla gestured to her mother with the wing not holding her earbud. "You still have Mom feed you? What are you, two months old?"

Tiago whirled to the side to face Carla who was sitting at the table to his left. He had been hurt by what she said but didn't want her to know that. Instead, he formed an angry expression on his beak and curled his wings into fists. "Why don't you mind your own business?" he screamed. "You think just because you hatched a few seconds before us you can boss us all around!" As Tiago said this he moved his wing in a circle to acknowledge his other two sisters. "Well I don't think so! How about you just put your stupid headphones back on that you never share and leave me alone!"

Carla snickered and waved an earbud right in front of Tiago's beak. "Uncle Pedro said that whoever had the most interest in music could use this MP3 player and that's me." Carla pointed to herself to emphasize her point and placed the device back in her ear. "Since you're such a baby you can play with your wittle baby bwanket." Carla puffed her cheeks so she looked like she had baby fat and then leaned her head back, laughing loudly at her own joke.

Tears came to Tiago's eyes and he turned away from Carla so she wouldn't see. He put his head down onto the cold rock and cried silently. Blu's jaw dropped and he shifted his attention to his oldest daughter who had gone back to singing under her breath and tapping a talon underneath the table. "Carla," Blu demanded in the deep tone he reserved for punishing his children, "apologize to your brother right now or you won't be using that MP3 until tomorrow night."

Carla took out both earbuds this time and wrapped them around the circular part of her most favorite thing in the world. She sighed begrudgingly and turned to face her brother once more who still had his head down. As much as she really didn't want to admit she was wrong, she could at least relent that she may have gone a little too far. After all, she certainly did some things that could be classified as less than tough and grown-up. For example, Carla sucked her wingtip when she was nervous even though it made her look like an infant. When "Dora the Explorer" came on the portable TV Blu had brought into their new home, she hid in a corner with her back to the TV because she was scared of Swiper the fox. So, while her brother did get on her nerves once in a while maybe it was wrong to tease him and instead she could be a big girl and try to ignore him. Not to mention she would die if she ever had to go more than an hour without her music. She twirled one of the short feathers on top of her head around her wingtip. "Tiago, I'm sorry. It wasn't right to make fun of you. If I'm being honest, I don't really like Brazil nuts either." She looked at her mother with a sheepish grin, and Jewel just shook her head.

"Look guys, it was either nuts or no breakfast." Jewel slapped her wings down at her sides, fed up with her children's complaints.

Carla nodded. "I know Mom." Then, she patted Tiago on the back comfortingly. "Will it make you feel better if I let you use the MP3 for fifteen minutes?" She closed her eyes and prayed silently that he would say no and be okay anyway.

Unfortunately for Carla, Tiago snapped his head up instantly and wiped the remaining tears away from his now slightly bloodshot eyes. An eager grin split his face. "You mean it?!"

Carla rolled her eyes but nodded. It was too late to go back on her word now. If she did she would lose the device for longer than fifteen minutes. "Yep, I mean it." She handed the MP3 over to Tiago who snatched it out of her wings greedily.

"Thank you Carla, thank you! This is the greatest morning ever!" He placed the headphones into his ears and began imitating what Carla had done earlier, singing quietly enough along so as not to bother the other family members.

"Fifteen minutes," Carla reminded with an arched eyebrow and crossed wings. Tiago gave her a thumbs-up gesture with his wing but didn't look in her direction. He was much too busy having fun.

Blu clapped his wings and smiled at Carla. "I'm very proud of you. You really went the extra mile there Carla and I think for that you get to choose what kind of fruit we gather today."

Carla's eyes lit up with excitement. "Really?!" She leaned forward on the table as if she was going to jump across it to hug her father. Instead, she sat back in her chair once more and raised her wing sin victory. "Awesome! Can we get mangoes please?"

Jewel nodded her head and placed another Brazil nut in her beak. "Mangoes sound perfect," she agreed with her mouth full. "Once everyone is done eating we'll head out to the trees nearby and start picking."

Bia who was sitting in between Carla and Blu stopped reading her favorite book, "The Hunger Games," long enough to look up and participate in the conversation about the day's activities. "Mangoes were a really good choice Carla." Bia turned to her sister and held up a wing as if she was giving a lecture to a classroom full of students. "They're packed with antioxidants and are known to support a healthy heart, digestive system, and eyes."

Carla blinked a few times at her younger sister. She cocked her head, confused. "They're full of what now?"

Blu chuckled and wrapped a proud wing around Bia. "Antioxidants Carla. Let's just say they're things that are really good for your body," he explained with a wink in Carla's direction.

Carla nodded her head and returned Blu's wink. "Got it Dad, thanks for speaking in a language us normal folk can understand."

Jewel's eyes widened at what Carla had said and she began to laugh so hard she spit the nuts she had been chewing out of her beak. She wiped a tear from her eye caused by her laughter and sighed. "Oh Carla, that's a rarity coming from him. I've been dealing with your dad saying overcomplicated things like antioxidants and cereal since the day we met." She turned to smile sweetly at her mate. "It's one of my favorite things about him."

Blu blushed and looked down towards the table. He loved that Jewel, unlike many other birds back in Minnesota, actually appreciated his intelligence. He had always been so smart that they just didn't know what to make of him. Blu was glad that Bia, who seemed to have inherited his unusual brilliance, would grow up in a home where being smart was valued. He turned his gaze to Bia who was toying with her wings awkwardly. He cupped her small face in his wing and turned it to face her where she was met with a happy smile. "It was very impressive that you knew all that Bia. I certainly didn't know that mangoes did so much good for your body; I just thought they tasted delicious!"

Bia's face broke out into a grin and she snuggled closer to her father. "I read about it in a fruit encyclopedia that Linda owned when we went to visit her last month." Her eyes shone with excitement as she recalled the hours she spent that day leafing through the heavy book. Even when her siblings were playing tag outside, she stayed in, too engrossed in all the historical and fun facts about types of fruit she hadn't even known existed. Bia knew that sometimes her brother and sisters didn't understand why she loved to read so much. To them it seemed boring, but her dad understood. There was a big world out there and Bia wanted to know everything about everything. She looked up at Blu, suddenly feeling very grateful that he was her father. "I love you so much Daddy."

Blu smiled and hugged his daughter tight. "I love you too sweetheart, more than you could ever know."

A tiny voice then broke into the conversation. "Mommy, Daddy I finished my breakfast!" Blu and Jewel each looked down at the little chick sitting in between them. It was Alicia; she had been the last of Blu and Jewel's eggs to hatch and was therefore considered the baby of the family. "I also finished this!" Alicia proudly held up a piece of paper that contained a simple drawing of her family. Each bird had been outlined in pencil and then colored with a blue crayon that matched the shade of their feathers. A bright yellow sun and palm trees completed the picture. Alicia loved to make all sorts of art. The area around her bed made of palm leaves was frequently littered with finished drawings and paintings as well as various types of art supplies that Linda brought over once in a while, such as pencils, jars of paint, brushes, crayons, and paper.

Blu and Jewel both leaned closer to each other for a better look at the image. Jewel clasped her wings together and gasped with delight. "Oh honey, it's beautiful!" She grabbed the drawing from Alicia's wings and held it high. "This is going on the wall for sure."

Blu nodded his head firmly. "Yes indeed. Wonderful job Alicia, you are incredibly talented," he praised.

Alicia seemed to glow with excitement. "Thank you so much! I worked really hard on it." She turned to her siblings, eyes wide with anticipation. "What did you guys think?"

Carla gave her an approving smile. "It's incredible, you did a great job lil' sis." She made a thumbs-up gesture with her wing that earned her a grin and "thank you" from Alicia. Carla was happy to puff up her little sister every once in a while. Of course that meant laying it on a little thick once in a while, but this time Alicia's drawing actually did look real good. She had to give her kudos for also including the favorite things of each of her older siblings. In the picture Tiago had his head bent over a game console, Bia was holding up a book, and Carla was in the middle of a dance while listening to her MP3 player. The attention to detail was impressive. Bia complimented Alicia's work as well, but Tiago was too busy enjoying his precious music time to even hear what was going on.

Jewel began to clear the bowls off the table and put them in a plastic trash bag she obtained from a box next to their TV. Once a week, she or Blu would haul the bag to Linda and Tulio's little house nearby. They lived right on the grounds of the Sanctuary to ensure that there was no illicit activity occurring on the property. Blu, Jewel, and the kids stopped by the house frequently whenever they tired of the tiny tree they lived in most of the time. When Jewel finished cleaning, she sighed and did a drumroll on the table with her wings to get everybody's attention. "Listen up Spix's macaws one and all, big and small, get ready to head on over to the fruit trees where we will pick some fat, juicy mangoes!" Jewel raised her wings and shook them in the air to get her family excited to go. Her goal was achieved when all the other birds present cheered loudly in response.

"I'll be ready in a minute!" Alicia gathered up the box of crayons, pencil, and spare pieces of paper she had spread out on the table. "I've just got to put all this stuff away first," she called over her shoulder as she made her way over to the box by her bed where she kept her art supplies.

Jewel nodded and called back: "No problem honey!" Then she turned to Blu and looked him in the eye. "I've got to speak to your father first before we leave anyway."

A bewildered look planted itself on Blu's facial features. "You do?"

"Yes," Jewel said and pointed to the exit to their tree, "outside."

Bia turned around from where she was still sitting at the table and looked up at her parents. Concern shined in her eyes. "Is everything okay guys?"

Jewel bent down and stroked Bia's crown of feathers. "Don't worry Bia, nothing serious is going on. I just have to talk to your dad about some boring grown-up business." She pretended to stick her wingtips down her throat and made a gagging noise to show just how not fun or interesting their conversation was going to be.

Bia giggled at the funny face Jewel had made. "Okay Mom. I'll be ready to leave when you guys are done talking."

"Wonderful." Jewel then wrapped a wing around Blu's back and marched him to the hole in their tree. "Come on Pet, this won't take long, I promise."

#

Jewel led Blu to a branch just to the left of the entrance to their home. It was a beautiful day in the jungle, just as Jewel had predicted. The sun was shining amidst a clear, royal blue sky. Jewel inhaled a breath of fresh air and then let it out. She wouldn't admit it to Blu because she knew he preferred to be closer to humans, but she loved how natural and clean everything looked and smelled outside the city. Jewel couldn't stand flying by all the dirty buildings and through the clouds of exhaust gas that poured out of cars when they still lived in the artificial jungle in Rio. Right here in a tropical jungle was where Jewel had always been destined to belong. Before she began to say what she wanted to say to Blu, Jewel directed her attention to the hollowed tree across from their own. That was the tree that housed their blue and gold macaw neighbor named Ana. Jewel smiled at the thought of her friend. Ana was most likely still asleep; she slept until about noon every morning and right now it was around 10:30 a.m. She was one of the kindest birds Jewel had ever met in her life. She never caused any trouble and Jewel's kids absolutely adored her. On several occasions, Ana had babysat for Blu and Jewel while they went out for a romantic date together. When they would arrive back home, they would hear endless tales of the various games Ana would play with them. "Ana and I had a singing competition," Carla would say or "Ana and I finger painted together," Alicia would tell them. "Ana watched Jeopardy with me and I almost beat her this time! She's so smart!" Bia gushed. Even Tiago loved her because she played multiplayer games of Call of Duty with him. There seemed to be nothing Ana couldn't do, and every day Jewel knew just how lucky she was that such a wonderful bird moved in nearby. Now though, she turned to Blu who was standing next to her, shifting his talons awkwardly on the thin branch.

Blu didn't want to look at Jewel; he was too anxious about what she might have to say that was so bad she couldn't even tell him in front of the kids. "So," he began, his wings trembling, "What is it you wanted to talk about?"

Jewel smiled which only served to further increase Blu's confusion. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay after what happened this morning." Jewel motioned towards the tree's entrance with her wing. "I just wanted to ask you outside because I didn't want the kids to worry about you."

Blu let out a big breath, but he wasn't relieved. In fact, now that Jewel brought up the day's previous events, a sickening pit of guilt began to brew in his stomach. It churned and spun, making him feel ill. He hated knowing that he was lying to her, and looking in her sweet, sapphire blue eyes only made him feel worse. She cared about him enough to ask if he was okay even when she was busy with four kids and planning a trip to get food for everybody. Blu sighed and looked down at the ground. He had to come clean; there was no way he could ever keep a secret from the bird he loved. "Actually, I'm not okay," he mumbled.

Jewel's happy smile faded and was replaced with a pitying expression. She pulled Blu in for a supportive hug and stroked the feathers on his head gently. "Hey it's okay." She held his face in her wings and turned it so that he would be forced to look into her eyes. "Listen, it's okay. You can tell me anything Blu." She took one of his wings and held it tightly in her own. "Are you still feeling down about those geese?"

Blu shuddered and tore his gaze away from Jewel's eyes once more. His heart began to thud heavily in his chest and he felt tears coming to his eyes. "Jewel, I didn't dream about geese last night." The salty liquid began to fall down his feathers, dampening them and turning the areas they touched almost black. "I dreamt about something else."

Jewel pulled away from Blu a little and looked at the other side of the branch. She certainly hadn't expected this response from Blu. "Oh," she said, "Well then what did you dream about?"

Blu continued to shake, both from fear of his nightmare and pain from knowing that he hurt Jewel. Though she hadn't come right out and told him yet, he could see it in her eyes that she was upset that he didn't trust her enough to tell her what he had seen. Blu's distrust of Jewel was what had been the cause of their previous fight, when Jewel had gotten upset that Blu wouldn't tell her about what happened to his parents. _Stupid head, _he scolded himself, _when will you learn to stop making such dumb decisions?_ There was no use beating himself up any further though, Jewel was becoming impatient. She tapped her talon on the wood of the branch, waiting for Blu to elaborate more. "I-I dreamt about that bird that Javier told us about the night he stole your flower from you. You-you know? The falcon, Angel?"

Jewel nodded her head in understanding. A look of sadness swept across her eyes as she remembered the cruel things Javier had said that he did to her parents. She shed a tear as she recalled the brutal murder of her mother and how the loggers then came soon after and destroyed her home. Worst of all, she was reminded of how Javier threatened to smash her eggs on the aviary's hard floor, ending the lives of her children before they even had a chance to truly begin. She wiped the tears away from her eye. "Yes, that night is hard to forget. Go on."

"Well, I dreamt that not only did he have the flower but he had gotten all four items." Blu stared off into space as if he had been transported to some sort of alternate universe. "The nightmare was very similar to what your father Eduardo had told Javier he'd seen when they found the flower in that cave all those years ago. Birds were marching through the streets acting like his mindless slaves, humans were running away from burning buildings, it was just pure chaos. All the while Angel was sitting on top of this giant, stone throne located in the area where the Christ the Redeemer statue once stood. He was laughing at all the suffering going on; it was just horrible."

Jewel had her wings held over her beak in shock. "That explains why you were so scared that night, but where did the choking someone part come in?"

Blu looked up to the sky as if searching for an answer to the next part of the story. "It's really hard to explain. I think it was just one of those random moments that often happen in nightmares. Let's say that as an example you're driving through a desert and then all of a sudden the whole landscape changes around you into a frozen wasteland."

Jewel nodded her head. "I suppose that makes sense. One time I had a dream that I was walking through the streets of Rio and these giant candy canes sprung up where the street lights used to be!" Jewel laughed. "I must have been hungry that night or something."

Blu chuckled too, a slight smile now appearing on his beak. "Yeah, so anyway, I showed up at the foot of the throne out of nowhere. I just remember looking up at him and feeling so angry towards all that he had done to the innocent creatures in Rio. I curled my wings into fists and was just thinking about how much I wanted to strangle him." Blu shrugged his shoulders. "So, while he was busy getting off on everybody else's misery, I flew up to where he was sitting, grabbed him by the throat and started choking him."

Jewel clapped her wings, excited that this tragic story seemed to be moving towards a happy ending. "Wow, good for you Blu!" She nudged him playfully with a wing, a huge smile on her face. "I'm guessing that the moment you stopped suffocating me is when you killed Angel and saved the city, am I right?"

Blu shook his head and looked down at the ground. He licked his beak which was becoming dry from crying so much. "Um, actually no. He was much stronger than me and was able to throw me off of him. Then, he stood over me with these almost black, menacing eyes and used this necklace he had on to fire a green laser at me and kill me." Blu laughed half-heartedly and placed a wing awkwardly behind his head. "Not exactly heroic am I right?"

Jewel looked at her feet and moved one of her talons back and forth. "No, I suppose not." She let out a huge sigh and stretched her wings behind her back, feeling exhausted before the day had even really begun. "What did this necklace look like exactly?"

Blu cocked his head, his face now wrinkled with confusion. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, Javier told us that they needed the flower and three other things to power up some device. Maybe the thing he was talking about was that laser shooting necklace?" she suggested.

Blu tapped his beak with a wing as he attempted to recall some descriptive features of the strange piece of jewelry. "Let me see, from what I remember it was in the shape of a diamond." Blu rubbed his head which was beginning to ache from all the stress he endured in the past couple of hours. "It was black and in the center there was a little green circle where the laser came out. That's all I can remember."

"Good, we know more than we did yesterday," Jewel pointed out, trying to cheer him up. Her eyes turned serious; however, as she continued on: "We'll be able to solve this mystery together Blu, but you need to start trusting me. I don't understand why you felt like you couldn't tell me any of this. Did you think I'd be scared? Because if that's the case I'll have you know that I'm a big girl and can handle a little danger."

Blu shook his head and blushed. "That's not it," he said softly, "I thought you'd think I was an idiot for worrying so much about the flower and everything."

When Jewel finally heard the real reason behind Blu's deception, her eyes softened and she pulled him into a loving hug. She rubbed his back soothingly and whispered: "Blu, I would never think you're an idiot. Heck, I'd be lying if I said that I was never worried about what those bad guys were planning to do with that flower." She released him from her wings so he could look into her eyes and see that she truly meant every word she was saying. "I know sometimes I joke about you being a worry wart but when it comes to serious matters like this I would never make fun of you. I hope you know that."

Blu nodded and leaned close to Jewel so that his beak was touching hers. "I know that now Jewel, and I wish I had before. I feel so much better now that I told you." He looked away for just a second, regret creeping onto his face once more. "I just wish I could find that flower. It's been over a year, where are they hiding it?!"

Jewel kissed Blu's beak gently to calm him down again. "You'll find it eventually Blu. Rio is a really big city and you have nothing to go on. I didn't expect you to find it in a day or two. Besides, if it took them ten years to find one item I wouldn't worry about some fiery apocalypse happening anytime soon."

"Okay." Blu nodded his head, a huge grin on his beak. "Thank you for making me feel better Jewel. I love you."

"I love you too." Then Jewel pulled Blu toward her once more and gave him a long, deep kiss. Deep down, she was glad they fought every once in a while. It gave them a chance to work out any kinks that might have still been present in their relationship, and each time they emerged from the fray stronger than ever as a couple.

While they were in the middle of kissing and wrapping their wings around each other, Carla poked her out of the tree's entrance and shifted her head from side to side searching for her parents. "Mom, Dad, where are you two at? You didn't abandon us did you?" When she finally saw Blu and Jewel and what they were busy doing, her beak curled up in disgust. "Oh, guys gross!"

Blu and Jewel broke apart, surprised and looked in their daughter's direction. "We'll be inside in a minute sweetie," Blu told her.

Carla rolled her eyes and put her earbuds back on, now that Tiago's fifteen minutes were up. "Whatever." Then, she went back inside the tree once more.

Jewel brushed a stray feather away from her face and smiled at Blu shyly. "Guess we'd better get going before it gets dark huh?"

Blu grinned naughtily. "Do we have to? I could stay out here all day."

Jewel shrugged one shoulder and stepped towards Blu once more. "One more kiss won't hurt anyone." Then, for the third time in less than three minutes Blu and Jewel shared a kiss. It was no wonder that once in a while their kids got tired of how mushy the two Spix's macaws acted when they were together.


	3. 3 No Trespassing Allowed

**Chapter 3: No Trespassing Allowed**

After about two hours of searching the area around their tree for fruit, Blu, Jewel, and their kids began to fly home. Each bird carried one mango in each of their talons and one in their beak. Carla attempted to speak but her voice came out muffled due to the large fruit in her mouth. "I cern't wait ter eat this ternight!"

"Me ter!" Blu tried to respond. "I hope we get herme soon, I think my grip might be slipping." His face scrunched up as he put all the effort he could into continuing to hold the mango in his beak.

Jewel rolled her eyes. "We're almost there Blu. Don't be serch a baby!"

Thankfully, the familiar hollowed out tree came into sight and each Spix's macaw quickly landed on the rug inside and dropped their load. Bia wiped a wing across her forehead and let out a tired breath. "That was quite a workout, huh Mom?"

Jewel nodded her head and moved her wings in a circular motion to stretch them out after flying with the heavy cargo. "I'll say honey." Jewel looked around at all they had collected that was now on the wooden base of their home. "It was worth it though." She picked up a green mango with a red tip and licked her beak hungrily. "Now we have some real tasty food for dinner tonight."

"Mom." Tiago looked up at his mother with sad, puppy-dog eyes. "Can I eat one now, please?"

Jewel smiled at her son and rubbed his feathery crown. "Sure, I'll cut you half of one. They're really big; you won't finish a whole mango."

Tiago's pitiful expression turned cross and he stamped a talon on the ground in protest. "But Mom, I'm a growing bird! I can eat a whole mango; I promise!"

Jewel shook her head firmly as she picked up a small knife that was given to her by Linda and Tulio and sliced one mango in half, revealing the juicy, orange interior. "No Tiago, the last time I gave you an entire papaya to eat you wasted it." She placed one half of the mango down in Tiago's outstretched wings. "Eat this or don't eat anything at all."

"Fine," Tiago grumbled and bit into the mango. He perked up as the sweet, tropical flavors hit his taste buds. A content smile settled on his face. "Mmm, this is really good," he said with his mouth full. "Thanks Mom!"

Jewel returned the knife to its traditional wooden cutlery holder. Plastered on the right side of the holder was a crocodile sticker that came from one of Alicia's activity books. To this day, Jewel wasn't sure which one of her children had stuck it on there, but it added some liveliness to the boring brown color so she didn't mind. "No problem honey." She turned to face her family and put her wings on her hips. "Does anybody else need me to cut up a mango while I'm standing right next to the utensils. Don't tell me when I'm all the way over there," she warned, pointing to the opposite side of the tree.

All birds present shook their head no, so Jewel began gathering up the remaining mangoes and putting them in a little wooden basket that the family used to hold all different types of fruit. Tiago, who now had sticky mango flesh and juice all over his beak walked over to Blu and looked up at him. "Dad, I'm bored. What are we going to do now?"

Blu sighed. They hadn't really planned to do anything today besides restocking the kitchen. He tapped his beak with a talon as he thought. "I don't know. Do you just want to play outside or something?"

Tiago shook his head and finished his mango. "I'm sick of doing the same things pretty much every day. We never go anywhere fun." He licked his wingtips to get rid of the annoying stickiness and walked away, thinking that Blu wasn't going to come up with anything.

Blu continued to consider all the options available in his head. The beach was no place for a bird unless it was at night when no one was there. The kids didn't like going to the mountains because they complained that all the climbing tired them out. They wouldn't want to see Linda and Tulio again because they just did that a couple days ago. So, what was there left to do? Then, it seemed as if a lightbulb went off in Blu's head. His focused expression changed into a wide grin. "Hey, how about we go to the samba club and see what our friends are up to there?" He turned to look at Jewel eagerly. "What do you think Jewel? We could get out of the house for a day, maybe do some sightseeing with the guys. Or, we could all just have a fun time on the dance floor."

Jewel nodded her head and smiled excitedly. "Yeah, that sounds like a lot of fun. I really don't want to sit around all day when it's so nice out. What we just did doesn't really count either because it was more like a chore." She clapped her wings together and looked down at her kids who were all sitting in various spots on the floor, going about their own business. "Well kids, do you want to go into the city for a day and see your favorite uncles?!"

Carla removed her earbuds that she had put in the second they arrived home and let out a big gasp. "We're going to see Uncle Pedro and Nico? Yay! Let's go, let's go!" she exclaimed, running to the exit but stopping just before it. Carla could barely contain her excitement. Nico and Pedro were two of her most favorite birds in the world. They shared her great love for music and knew a lot of cool facts about the singers she listened to. Often, when she and her family visited the club they would introduce her to many new songs that then became some of her favorites on her MP3. Best of all, they never judged her for liking certain songs, no matter how embarrassing some birds considered them. Carla wished they lived right by her family so that she could see them more often, but at least they could have a ball together today. Meanwhile, Tiago, Bia, and Alicia all reacted similarly to Jewel's question by jumping up and down and cheering happily.

Blu laughed at his children's overwhelmingly positive response to the suggestion. "Alright, it's settled then. Let's all head out for a super fun-filled afternoon!" The whole Spix's macaw family let out a joyful shout in response and then everyone began to take off through the hole in their tree.

#

When they got outside and flew above the treetops so they could have an easier time making it to the city, Alicia cocked her head in confusion at a funny noise she heard all of a sudden. It kind of sounded like a man singing. Alarm bells began to go off in her head. Even though she was young, she knew that people were not allowed to trespass on the land of the Blu Bird Sanctuary. She quickly flew over to her mother who was flying by her right and tapped her shoulder. Jewel shifted her attention to Alicia and smiled at her. "What is it honey?"

Alicia's eyes shimmered with worry and she pointed in the direction of the noise, which seemed to be coming from right below them. "M-mom, don't you hear that? I think there's a guy nearby. I can hear someone singing!"

Jewel's eyes widened and she quickly shushed her family. The remaining birds turned to face her, all with confused looks on their faces. Jewel put a wing to her ear and rotated her body so that her ear was facing the ground. Her heart began to pound as she realized that she too heard a voice coming from the jungle. She moved her head back up and addressed her family quietly: "Listen, I think there's a man down there. I think we should fly down slowly and softly so he doesn't hear us."

Blu began to shake slightly as his fear began to rise. "A-are you sure Jewel? M-maybe we should just keep going so we don't get hurt."

Jewel shook her head. "He might not be a threat but we need to make sure. We won't fly so close that we're right on top of him. We'll just see who we're dealing with, and if he looks scary we'll head right to Linda and Tulio so they can call the police or something."

"Okay." Blu nodded his head in agreement. "That sounds like a good plan." He motioned for his kids to follow them. Each of them looked anxious towards what they might find. Blu noticed this and attempted to smile reassuringly. "Hey, don't worry guys. If anything's wrong Linda and Tulio will help us okay?"

"Okay," they said meekly in unison.

The family of Spix's macaws dove as quietly as they could through the treetops once more in the direction of the voice. As their altitude decreased, they began to hear something else, music. Jewel cocked her head in confusion. "That's weird. I think someone's playing music down there and singing along to it." Blu didn't answer as he flew on, afraid to attract attention. Suddenly, they caught sight of a blue and gold macaw wearing a pink sweatband on her forehead. She was doing pushups on a thick tree branch and exhaling forcefully due to the strain placed on her muscles. Next to her was a little purple CD player that appeared to be playing the music that they had been hearing. It was indeed a man's voice pumping out of the speakers, but there was no man in sight. The only soul around was their neighbor, Ana. The Spix's macaws began to feel very silly and laughed sheepishly among themselves. Alicia felt especially embarrassed; however, since she had been the one to suggest she heard something in the first place. "Sorry about all the confusion everyone," she apologized not looking anyone in the eye.

Blu placed a wing on her back to comfort her. "Don't worry Alicia, everyone makes mistakes. I'm glad you did speak up; there very well could have been someone breaking the law here today. We're just lucky that wasn't the case."

Alicia nodded and smiled once more. "Thanks Daddy," she said.

Ana's head perked up at the sound of voices and she quickly whipped her head upward. When she saw who was flying above her she grinned and waved. "Hey guys! What are you all doing out here?"

Blu and Jewel's kids all let out an excited "Hi Auntie Ana!"

"Hello!" Jewel called back happily and returned her wave. "We were heading over to a samba club some of our friends own downtown to visit them. You know, just to have something to do other than be bored all day."

Ana nodded and bent over to catch her breath after all the exercise she'd been doing. "I hear you." She walked over to the CD player that was sitting next to her on the branch and pressed the pause button, causing a sudden drop in volume in the area. "I was in the middle of doing a little workout," she explained. Ana blushed and looked down at the branch she was standing on. She shuffled her talons awkwardly. "It was really just an excuse to play the new Enrique Iglesias disc I got the other day. I hope I didn't have the music on too loud."

Blu shook his head rapidly. "No, no, not at all. We didn't hear it until we got really high up in the trees." A thought came to Blu's head and the smile that had come onto his face when he realized the threat was only Ana widened even further. "Hey, you know if it's music you love, why don't you come with us to the samba club?"

Ana gasped with delight. "Really?!" However, her excited demeanor then calmed a bit and she looked away from the Spix's macaws once more. "Are you sure? I don't want to impose if this is just a family outing."

"Oh no, you wouldn't be imposing at all!" Jewel insisted. "We'd love it if you came with us! You're not just a neighbor to us; you're our friend and I know our other friends will just love you!" Jewel motioned for Ana to follow them with her wing. "Come on!"

Ana's heart rate began to quicken with anticipation. A big grin settled onto her beak. She placed a wing over her beak to make a megaphone. "Okay then! Just wait a second, I have to put this CD player away!"

Blu continued to flap his wings so he could hover in the air. "No problem," he called back, "we won't go anywhere!"

Ana gave the Spix's macaws a thumbs-up with her wing, and gathered her CD player in the other. She glided down from the branch she had been exercising on and landed in the entrance to her tree. Ana let out a relieved breath and removed the sweatband from her forehead. Now that she was alone, her friendly smile melted into a scheming grin. She cackled but kept her voice down just in case her neighbors could hear. Walking inside her new home, she stepped past her little TV, which was set up on a small stump, and her baskets of fruit and seeds to her left.

On the right side of her tree, Ana placed the sweatband into a little pink jewelry box that was meant for a girl about the age of five. She then dropped the CD player gently onto a wooden shelf she had installed several days after moving in a year ago. Her beak formed a disgusted grimace and she clenched her wings into fists. _A year, _she thought upsetly, _I've been putting this little nice-girl facade on for a year now. It's a real good thing I did all those commercials back in the day. Thanks to them, I've become an expert actor. _

Ana rubbed her wings together, a wicked glint in her eye. She turned and walked towards the back of her tree where an ugly brown couch cushion from the old lair she used to live in acted as her bed. Ana reached into the very narrow space between two pieces of bark on the far wall of the tree and pulled out a photo. Looking at it, tears of longing came to her eyes, and she nuzzled the picture with her beak. It was an image of Javier, the military macaw she had loved since the moment she joined Angel's group of villains. Javier was dressed up in a gray cloak decorated with red stripes and was grinning mischievously, his signature bandana wrapped around his head. _He used to love that thing, but then those meddling macaws made him get it all muddy and he had to throw it out. _Ana placed a wing to her now smiling beak as she thought back to all the happy moments she used to share with Javier. Every night after they searched for the four items they needed to accomplish their plans, they would eat dinner together at the dining room table in the little abandoned building. Then, Javier and Ana would settle on the couch in the living room and watch her favorite show, "The Vampire Diaries." He thought it was extremely boring, yet he watched it with her because he loved her. She missed him so much. Due to the cover she had to maintain, Ana had not been back to the building where her friends stayed since the day she moved in. It was too dangerous. If Blu or Jewel discovered who she really was, her mission would fail. She couldn't let that happen, especially now that she finally had her big break. The devilish look returned to her face and she laughed silently once more. _Today is the day I make my move. I will get the next item Angel needs and no one will stand in my way. _She curled a wing into a fist. _Or, they will die. _Ana caressed the photo of her lover with her wing softly. "Soon, we will be together again Javier." She kissed the picture and then slid it carefully into its hiding place once more.

Ana's heart thudded as she thought about what she would have to do in the meantime. A look of determination crossed her beak. "Put your game face on Ana. You've been waiting a year for this moment, well, it's come. You are ready; you've practiced what you will do and say the second you see him." Ana exhaled and marched toward the exit to her tree. "He won't be able to resist you." As she made her way across the tree's interior she paused in front of the mirror on the left wall of her tree. Slowly, she turned so that she was facing her reflection. Ana took in all the features that made male birds practically drool all over her when she flew by them. Her feathers were long and soft and the way they often fell over her right eye made her look extra mysterious. She smiled at the thought of how birds loved the girl that was a little harder to read than the others. The gray eyes above her beak stared back at her, almost putting her in a trance. She knew that these very eyes, extremely rare among birds in Brazil, were her secret weapon. Even if her mark managed to resist all her other charms, he wouldn't be able to say no to her eyes. _Look at you, _she thought, _you're a goddess. You deserve to be worshiped and so you shall be. Once you have your share of the power that we are all after, no one will ever treat you less than you should be treated, not again. _

Suddenly, Ana grew angry and she restrained herself from punching her reflection. She had told herself this speech many times before, but never really believed it. Tears came to her eyes once more, but this time they were tears of rage. Every guy she had ever been with in her life treated her like nothing more than a piece of meat. Even Javier used to make lewd remarks at her when they first met. That was the one thing that had always bothered Ana about him. Sure, he no longer did things like that, but she wished that he had been more of a gentleman from the very beginning. Therefore, as beautiful as Ana was, she never felt beautiful. Deep down, she felt like she was worth as much as the dirt that often got stuck between her talons. Tired of feeling miserable, she turned on her heel and marched furiously outside. "When I finally have the power to make them suffer, they will respect me or they will fall by my wings," she promised to her herself. Then, she took off into the sky where she would meet up with her enemies. As she approached, she did her best to hide how she really felt and plastered on the fakest smile she could manage.


	4. 4 A New Member Of The Gang

**Chapter 4: A New Member Of The Gang**

"Haha!" Ana laughed gleefully as she did a corkscrew twirl in the air. "Nice try Tiago but I dodged you that time!"

Tiago crossed his wings in a pout and frowned. "Not fair Auntie Ana! Dad got in the way; if it wasn't for him I would have tagged you for sure."

As Blu flew through the air, he looked over his shoulder to address his son. "Sorry Tiago, but you still could have gotten her if you could fly like she just did."

Tiago's beak dropped at what his father had said. 'But Dad, I'm just a little kid!" He gestured with his wing in Ana's direction. "How can you expect me to pull off a crazy spin like she just did."

Bia decided to join in the conversation as the family of Spix's macaws and their friend finally reached the buildings of Rio de Janeiro. "It's easy Tiago; you just have to make sure you're applying all the laws of physics needed to precisely execute the movement."

Tiago arched an eyebrow at his sister while skillfully avoiding a water tower that stood on the roof of an especially tall structure. "Oh yeah Einstein? It's that simple huh?"

Bia just simply nodded her head as if she hadn't just expected Tiago to have memorized college level equations. "Yup, when we get home I can show you how to tilt your wings to the right amount of degrees and then we'll work on your speed and trajectory-"

"Do you mind?!" Carla screeched, removing her earbud. "I am trying to listen to music and my brain is being assaulted with big words! You're going to put me in the nuthouse Bia!"

Bia's smile drooped slightly but she just nodded her head and kept quiet. Tiago wasn't really taking what she had to say seriously anyway. Ana noticed her dejected look and flew alongside her to cheer her up. "Hey, listen to me Bia." Her smile spoke more than she ever really had to but she continued on: "Don't you ever feel bad for being the smartest bird in the room. I'm going to let you in on a little secret." She bumped into Bia's side playfully.

Bia cocked her head interestedly. "Oh yeah, what's it about?"

Ana flew as close as possible to Bia's ear and began whispering into it: "I used to be a really big science geek too. I had this encyclopedia of all kinds of facts about animals big and small." Ana's eyes lit up as she recalled this piece of her childhood. "I drove my parents insane with all these little tidbits about giraffes and elephants, but secretly they appreciated how much I loved to learn." Ana moved away slightly and spoke at a normal volume again. "I can guarantee you that even though your siblings don't always seem to value your help, you're the first bird they turn to when there's a really tough problem to be solved."

Bia thought for a minute as they flew over the crowded streets near Copacabana Beach. The roadways were wall-to-wall traffic with cars of all different models, trucks, and even bicycles. Loud, honking horns split the air along with angry yells from passengers. Everyone wanted to get to the beach as quickly as possible. It was a hot summer day after all, and the best way to beat the heat is a dip in the gorgeous, dark blue Atlantic Ocean. Bia knew that the first bird they turned to was actually their father, but when he wasn't available her brother and sisters did seek her out the more she thought about it. One time when Tiago's game controller busted, Bia used her knowledge of mechanics to fix it up. When Alicia didn't know which colors to mix to produce pink after she ran out of pink paint, she asked Bia for assisstance. This brought the smile back to Bia's beak at last. She now realized that even though they teased her for how smart she was every now and then, they wouldn't want her any other way. Bia turned to Ana who had helped her see all this. "Thanks a lot Ana; I'm feeling so much better now."

Ana returned Bia's grateful smile with a wink. "No problem, us genius gals gotta stick together." She offered a talon to Bia to fist bump and Bia completed the motion with a laugh. The two friends had been so busy talking to one another that they didn't realize that they were now directly above their destination. Ana shifted her attention to Blu as she hovered in the air. "Is this the place?" She looked down at the less than appealing structure. It appeared as if someone had literally brushed the entire outside with a dust-colored icing. Windows on the upper floor were smashed, but Ana also took note that no one seemed to be up their anyway. She assumed then that the real action took place on the ground floor.

Blu nodded his head proudly, which confused Ana. How could he be impressed with somewhere that looked so disgusting? "This is it! Oh, you're going to love the guys. They really know how to have a good time."

Ana tried to hide her skepticism toward the situation. What she was really anxious about was how well her plans would unfold, but she masked it by pretending to be turned off by the samba club. "Well, if you're certain-"

"Come on Auntie Ana!" Alicia interrupted with adorable, worried eyes. "You're not changing your mind are you?" Her lip curled as if she was about to cry.

Ana softened her tough act so as not to further upset Blu and Jewel's children. She smiled reassuringly at the tiny chick. "Don't worry Alicia, I'm not going anywhere." She turned her gaze to Blu for a second. "Guess I shouldn't be judging a book by its cover, huh?"

"Believe me, it's a lot nicer on the inside than you think," Jewel put in. She understood Ana's apprehensions; she had the same ones when Rafael first took them to the club while they were still chained together. Once Ana got into the groove and started having fun, she wouldn't even notice where she was standing. "You'll see, let's get going." Jewel motioned for Ana and her family to follow her and started flying downward.

Ana nodded reluctantly. "Alright, I'm coming." She then turned her body so that her beak was facing the samba club's roof and began to fly at the end of the trail of Spix's macaws.

#

When the birds landed on the dirt in front of the club's entrance, they were greeted by the harpy eagle who worked as the bouncer. The eagle's stern expression changed into one of happiness as he recognized the male bird in his presence. "Well, well," he chuckled, "if it isn't Mr. Fake Bird ID." He scanned the large collection of birds that surrounded Blu. "I see you brought the whole family to have some fun this time."

Blu nodded his head with a big grin on his face. "Yes Sir! Don't worry though, we won't let them out of our sight. I swear on this wooden crate to my left that none of them will even get in the vicinity of any alcohol."

The harpy eagle smiled approvingly. "Now that's a good father." He turned to Jewel who was watching this exchange amusingly. Blu hadn't told her he knew this guy, so it was fascinating to see them talking like best buddies. "This one's a keeper. You be good to him now."

Jewel rolled her eyes. "Uh, I think you have it wrong Mr. Beefy. We are good to each other. This relationship ain't no one way street. I care for him, and he loves me back. That's just how we do it."

The eagle grinned, and not just because Jewel had complimented his muscular physique. He could tell that these two macaws were going to be together for decades to come. Not only did they have the right attitude toward the less fun aspects of companionship, he sensed that they loved each other very much. He pulled aside a thin, scratchy rope that barred unapproved entrance into the facility. "You all enjoy yourselves. I hope to see you more in the future."

Blu saluted the bouncer. "You can count on that." He winked at the eagle slyly before finishing their conversation the same way he had last time. "Have a pleasant day."

#

Ana's beak dropped in awe as she stepped inside the building. Never in her life would she have guessed it would look like this if someone had told her to describe its features. The ceiling contained colorful lights that switched some on and some off periodically, bathing the dance floor in a continuosly changing assortment of rays. Birds of all different species were moving and shaking their tailfeathers. It was just like a giant party! The bar off to the side consisted of a large wooden shelf with barrels in front of it for patrons to sit on while they drank. Bottles of all different shapes and sizes of liquors and juices stacked the shelves behind a tall roseate spoonbill who was presently cleaning a glass with an industrial-strength paper towel. When she shifted her gaze upward, she figured out where the mind-pulsingly loud music was coming from. Above the dance floor on the far wall from the entrance was a small DJ booth with some not-so-small speakers. If Ana squinted her eyes she could make out two small birds who appeared to be spinning the tracks. One was a little yellow canary with a, what was that on his head? The other was a red-crested cardinal with quite the pudgy belly. Ana's eyes narrowed with envy. Back in her days working as an actress, her human employers put her on a strict diet to ensure that she didn't look different from one commercial to the next. She wasn't allowed any special treat sticks and could only eat her three meals a day. Ana was happy that those days were behind her. She may not have seen it at first, but she had been in a toxic business that was doing no good for her already low self-esteem. The cardinal's eyes seemed to lock onto Blu and Jewel who were standing to her right and his beak curled into an excited grin. He whispered something to his tiny, yellow partner whose face changed into almost an exact replica of his friend's. The two birds then made a beeline for Ana and the rest of them. "Blu, Jewel, kids!" The cardinal shouted with his stubby, black wings spread wide in earnest welcome. "What a dope surprise!"

The canary landed on the dusty ground in front of them and began to spin what was apparently a bottle cap around on his wingtip. "It is a pleasure to see you once again baby birds." He laughed playfully. "When I say baby birds, I mean that in reference to everyone, not just the youngins."

Carla removed her earbuds and ran to the front of the group to greet her friends. Due to the short stature of the cardinal and canary, Carla and Pedro were actually the same height and Nico not much shorter. "Uncle Pedro, Uncle Nico!" She quickly gave each one of them a high-five. "It is SO good to see you guys again!"

"Yo what's been happnin' lately, Lil' Carly?" Pedro rubbed his beak with a wing as if he was thinking intently. Then, he pointed to the MP3 in Carla's wings. "Looks like you're gettin' good use out of my old device. Do you have "Look at Me Now" on there yet?"

Carla nodded eagerly. "Uh huh, and I can almost rap as fast as Busta Rhymes can!"

Nico's eyes nearly bugged out of his head when he heard that. "No way girl! You must be trippin'. If you're for real, you've gotta demonstrate for us later."

Carla's eyes narrowed and she smiled smugly. "You're on Nico. I'll show you what I can do, but you better grab a bucket cuz Imma mop the floor with you!" She finished by striking a gangster pose with one of her wings.

"Woah!" the gathering of birds all shouted, causing them to earn brief, annoyed glances from birds dancing nearby. Ana whistled with a disbelieving smile on her face. "Shots fired!" she exclaimed.

At the sound of Ana's voice, Pedro came alert to the fact that there was a bird he had not yet met before with the macaws. He turned his head to face her. "And, who might you be hot wing? Damn, those are some mighty fine feathers. I ain't seen a girl with shiny ones like that since I was spinnin' records up in Colombia!"

Ana blushed at the compliment as best she could; although, remarks like that irritated her to no end. "Why thank you," she said, her voice coming out as sweetly as she could manage. "I'm Ana." She held out a wing for both Pedro and Nico to shake, a gesture they both accepted. "I live directly across from Blu and Jewel's tree in the Blu Bird Sanctuary." Ana turned to smile at her neighbors. "We've become really good friends over the past year, so thye invited me to join them here today."

"Well, any friend of Blu and Jewel's is a friend of ours," Nico declared. He placed his signature bottle cap back on top of his small, yellow head. Then, he pointed a wing in the direction of the bar. "There are still two members of our little crew you have yet to meet Ana, and you can find them just over yonder."

"Follow us," said Pedro with his usual confident smile on his face.

Ana obliged and the large group of companions made their way to the bar on the club's right hand side. She tilted her head upwards as they got closer, noticing something she hadn't when she gave the place the once-over on the way in. The enclosed space where the bartender stood was topped by a roof made out of straw and palm leaves. To Ana, this had to be her favorite part of the establishment. She liked that it reminded her of one of those cheesy outdoor drink stations one might find on a Caribbean beach. It brought the tropical feeling of Rio to the inside of a dark, dusty building. Nico waved eagerly at a toucan with black feathers, a white belly, and large orange bill who was sitting on a leather-cushioned barstool. The bird appeared to be too exhausted to notice the canary's gesture. His head laid in his wings on the shelf of the bar where drinks usually sat. Ana couldn't help but wonder why he had such a long face on. Nico didn't seem to be deterred by his original failure at getting the toucan's attention. This time, he cupped his wings over his beak and yelled: "Rafi! Wake up buddy, Blu, Jewel, and the kids are here!"

Instantly, Rafael came alert. He shot up from his slouched position so quick in fact, that he nearly toppled over his mango smoothie. He whirled around to see whether or not Nico was pulling his leg. When his eyes settled on the large amount of blue below his hovering friend, his beak widened into a huge grin. He leaped off the stool and ran over to give Blu a big hug. "Blu mi amigo, it is so good to see you again!" Rafael squeezed Blu so tight that Blu once again began to fear that he wasn't intaking enough oxygen. Lucky for the Spix's macaw, Rafael suddenly released him with an excited gasp. While Blu was doubled over, inhaling desperately for air Rafael bent down and swooped up the four chicks in his large wings. "Look at these little munchkins!" He playfully nuzzled each one with his huge bill, causing them to giggle before placing them back down on the ground. "My how you've all grown. You're putting your Uncle Rafael to shame here!"

Alicia looked at Rafael with big, curious eyes. "Uncle Rafael, Mommy told us you have gray feathers? Is that true?"

Rafael bent over with laughter as did many of the other birds present. Alicia was confused by what she said that was so funny. The toucan wiped a tear from his light brown eye and sighed heavily. "Oh, it's true alright. I have my eighteen kids to blame for that." Rafael turned to Jewel who was hiding a sneaky smile behind her beak. Rafael pointed at her faux-accusingly. "Don't laugh at me like that Jewel. I can't believe you're making fun of me behind my back. I don't need your children thinking I'm old!"

Jewel rolled her eyes and formed a fake apologetic look with her beak. "Hey, it's not my fault that you're a baby about it Mr. Romantic Expert." She crossed her wings defiantly. "Maybe if you and Eva could keep your wings off each other for more than five minutes your nest would be a little less crowded." This jab earned another roar of laughter from the adults present while Blu and Jewel's chicks were left gazing wonderingly up at their elders.

Rafael was the only one not laughing. He opened his bill to respond, but quickly shut it and just shrugged his shoulders instead. "Eh, what do you expect?" His eyes got a dreamy look in them and he clasped his wings together. "I just adore my juicy little mango. It kills me whenever we're apart."

Ana raised an eyebrow and decided to join into the conversation. "If that's true then why aren't you with her right now?"

Rafael looked over his shoulder and his eyes widened at seeing the unfamiliar blue and gold macaw. He cleared his throat and offered his wing to her. "Um, who might you be?"

Ana accepted the toucan's wing and shook it. "My name is Ana and as I told your friends Pedro and Nico, I am Blu and Jewel's neighbor." She lifted one shoulder as if it was so obvious that was the case. "They gave me permission to tag along today so here I am." Then, she narrowed her gray, cloudy eyes at the toucan who shrank back nervously. "Now, why don't you answer my question? Might there be trouble in paradise?"

Rafael shook his head. This girl sure was feisty, but then again so was his wife. He knew how to handle birds like the macaw. "Not at all. In fact, one might say our home is even more paradise-like presently then normal. Rafael lowered his voice as if he was telling a deep, dark secret, but really he only did it to be dramatic. "Our children are in the middle of their two hour nap right now. I have to be back home by 2:00, but until then Eva gets to relax at home and I get to have fun here." Rafael spread his wings wide gleefully. "It's a win-win for all birds involved."

Ana nodded her head, an impressed look on her beak. "Nice comeback." She tapped a talon on her beak, pretending to think hard. "But, uh, Nico told me I had two more birds to meet." Ana turned her head in every possible direction. "Where's the other one at?"

"Right here," a friendly voice suddenly interjected. Everyone turned to face the bar once more and saw the spoonbill employed as a bartender waving to them with a huge smile on his long, odd-shaped bill. He stopped wiping the bar down with a little spray bottle filled with water and a brown and white checkered washcloth to look directly at Ana. "My name is Kipo." He nodded at her. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

Ana stepped past her friends who were all beginning to take a seat at the bar and shook wings with the tall bird. She returned his smile and brushed a stray feather out of her eye. "Nice to meet you too." She tapped her wings on the bar to fill the awkward silence that followed. "You probably heard who I am already and everything so I won't bore you. Do you work here everyday?" Kipo didn't answer and looked down at the gold watch on his left pink and white wing. The watch was decorated with a green gem on one side and a red ruby on the other. Ana, realizing she had struck out once, decided to try again. She whistled at the stunning piece of jewelry. "That is a really sick watch. Where'd you get it?"

Kipo blinked his eyes at her for a moment as if he had become lost in a trance. He shook his head, snapping back into reality and gazed at the watch once more. "Oh, uh, I inherited it from my dad." A sad look crept into his eyes. "He passed away a couple months ago."

Ana's excited expression turned uncomfortable. She had not expected such a heavy response to the question. "Damn, that sucks. I'm really sorry."

Kipo shrugged his shoulders. "It's alright, you didn't know. He was just old, nothing really serious. That kinda stuff just happens you know."

Ana nodded even though she'd never experienced a family member die before. She hadn't seen her parents in over a decade, so they might very well have been dead but she didn't know, and frankly she didn't care. Talking to birds about sensitive topics always made her nervous, so she began to play with one of her really long feathers. "At least he didn't suffer. Did he get the watch from his father like you did?"

Kipo shook his head and chuckled. "It's a really funny story, actually. My dad was out flying around the city one day and he found it in an alley next to a dumpster full of trash." Kipo threw his wings up into the air in disbelief. "It's like, why would anybody throw something so amazing out? This thing must have been worth thousands of dollars."

Ana laughed, relieved that the intensity of the conversation had melted away. "Who knows? Maybe it was a gift from someone's grandma and it clashed with their wardrobe!"

Kipo laughed loudly, his sadness now fully forgotten. He wiped a happy tear from his eye, but then tensed up all of a sudden. He smacked his face gently with a wing. "Oh, I'm sorry; I totally forgot to answer your earlier question. I do work here everyday." He nodded towards Pedro and Nico and got a wave from the cardinal in response. "I handle the morning and afternoon hours. Then, at 7:00 I get off. It's a pretty sweet deal." Kipo leaned in towards Ana's ear to tell her the next part. "Best of all, whenever I have a break I get to enjoy the music and tear up the floor!"

Ana giggled and punched him in the arm playfully. "You any good at dancing?"

Before Kipo could answer, Rafael spoke for him. "He sure is! In fact, he's auditioning for the upcoming talent show Pedro and Nico are hosting next week."

Blu shifted his attention to Nico and arched a curious eyebrow at him. "Talent show huh? That sounds like an interesting idea. I'd love to go see it." Blu turned to Jewel and asked her: "How about you?"

Jewel nodded excitedly. "Yeah, that sounds like a lot of fun." She shifted her attention to Pedro who, unable to get a seat, was now sitting on the tabletop to her right. "Where are you guys holding it?"

Pedro spread his wings wide. "Right here Miss Wild! This is the only place to be in Rio." He pointed to the dance floor and all birds present followed with their eyes. "We'll set up some chairs over there and then the contestants will perform on that little set of crates," Pedro explained, while acknowledging the three wooden objects that laid below the DJ station with no apparent purpose.

Jewel turned back to face the cardinal, an approving smile on her beak. "Okay, I'm on board with that plan but…" She leaned in menacingly towards Pedro, causing his eyes to dart side to side with fear. "Don't call me Miss Wild anymore, got it?"

Pedro nodded his head rapidly, a sheepish grin covering his face. "Ye-yes Jewel." He gave her a thumbs-up with his wing and stepped back towards the far side of the table. "Won't happen again, I promise."

"Mom, Mom!" Carla tugged urgently on her mother's wing, causing Jewel to spin around in alarm.

"What, what's the matter sweetheart?" Jewel's eyes were filled with worry for her daughter.

Now that Carla had gotten her mother's attention; however, she laughed at Jewel's concerned reaction. "Nothing's wrong Mom." Carla waved her wing dismissively. She looked down at the polished dark oak of the bar and shuffled her talons nervously. "I was… well I was just wondering if I could, I don't know, audition for the show?"

Pedro's head snapped up in delight and he quickly ran over to Carla and shook her excitedly. "Yes, of course you can try out Lil' Carly! We'd love it if you gave it a shot!" Pedro punched the air in victory. "This is going to be the most hippin', hoppin', and poppin' production ever held on this side of the Amazon River."

Jewel's smile widened proudly. She pulled her daughter in for a loving hug. "Of course you can try out dear." Jewel stroked Carla's feathery crown affectionately. "Your father and I would love to hear you sing up on stage, right Blu?"

"Oh yes!" Blu nodded eagerly and came around on Carla's other side to wrap his wings around her as well. "You have a wonderful voice and I just know that everyone who comes to watch will love it just as much as we do."

Carla escaped her parents' embrace and blushed at all the praise. "Gee thanks guys." She turned to the canary and cardinal and squealed with excitement. "It's official! I'm auditioning!"

"Alright baby bird." Nico jumped up to give Carla a high-five. "We're holding tryouts in two days, so that gives you some time to practice what you're gonna try out with." He winked at her. "If you want my advice, pick something you're already comfortable singing. That way, if you ever feel nervous on stage you can imagine yourself singing that same tune in the privacy of your own home."

"Thanks Nico." Carla was so happy she surprised him by lifting him up into a huge hug.

Startled, Nico's eyes widened but then he laughed, embarrassed and patted Carla on the back. "Don't mention it kid."

"Hey!" Carla placed Nico back down on the top of the bar's table and turned to see Kipo calling to them. "Anybody thirsty?!"

The group of friends all laughed and shouted an "I am!" in response.

Kipo chuckled. He turned around and picked up a little notepad and pen that he used to write down the orders of the club's customers. Facing his friends once more he clicked the pen open, ready to write. "What'll it be?"

"I'll have a hot chocolate with six marshmallows," Blu announced. When he saw everyone staring at him strangely, he threw his wings up frustratedly. "What?!"

Everyone laughed, making Blu blush. "Nothing honey." Jewel rubbed his back to comfort him after they had wound him all up. She shifted her attention to Kipo. "I'll have a passion fruit smoothie." Then, Jewel turned left and right to look at their four chicks. "Kids what do you want?" Each ordered a different flavored smoothie. Tiago wanted strawberry, Carla wanted banana, Alicia asked for chocolate, and Bia told Kipo peach. Rafael already had a drink, so after Pedro and Nico both ordered a margarita, Jewel turned to Ana who was toying with her wings self-consciously and not looking at anyone. "Hey, you can have whatever you want." She smiled at her kindly. "Don't feel like you have to order the kids' stuff. We just do it because of the little ones."

Ana looked at Jewel and grinned gratefully, but she shook her head. "That's very nice of you, but I don't drink alcohol." She shifted her gaze to Kipo. "I'll just have a vanilla milkshake please."

Pedro arched a curious eyebrow at her. "Carrying eggs by any chance?" he teased.

Ana rolled her eyes, annoyed at how the cardinal never seemed to take anything seriously. "No," she huffed, "I've just never been a fan of the taste. Personally, I really don't see the hype over it."

Pedro just shrugged his shoulders, completely unbothered by the macaw's biting tone. "Eh, to each his own."

"One vanilla shake," Kipo repeated as he wrote it down. He finished with a dramatic click of his pen and placed it back on the shelf behind him. "Okay guys, drinks coming right up!"

The chorus of birds cheered in response, once again earning dirty looks from those dancing behind them. Unfortunately for the other club-goers, the gang of amigos was having too much fun to really care what they thought.


	5. 5 Ana Pops The Question

**Chapter 5: Ana Pops The Question**

Kipo tossed the metal shaker bartenders were famous for back and forth in his wings. "Another round? Anyone, anyone?"

The only response from his friends was a loud, communal groan. "If I drink anymore, my stomach is going to explode," Jewel complained. She held a wing over her light blue stomach which growled revoltingly. Each of them managed to suck down four smoothies in the span of an hour. They all just tasted so good that they couldn't manage to stop. Blu's hot chocolate had been rich and creamy; the smoothies, sweet and juicy from the large amount of fruits added; and the margaritas, well, boozy. Pedro and Nico were currently sleeping on each other's shoulders, the cardinal snoring loudly.

Kipo laughed at the whining of his pals. He turned to Ana who seemed to be the only one not about to pass out from indulgence overkill. She only ordered the one shake and after that, drank glasses of water. When the others teased her about it, she simply shrugged her shoulders and warned them that she would have the last laugh in the end. Well, that time had certainly come. He traced one of his wingtips in a circle on the surface of the bar. "So, how did you like the experience today?" He looked up at her expectantly. "Can I plan on seeing more of you in the future?"

Ana giggled and batted her eyelashes flirtatiously. She pulled out one of her long, loose feathers and gingerly brushed it across Kipo's lengthy bill. "I think you've satisfied me today Pinky." She now twirled the feather in her wingtips as she craned her neck around to take in the club once more. "I've been in a lot of bars before, but this place really is something special." Ana meant it when she said this too. Back when she was appearing in commercials for various companies, Ana often had to go to different cities. Los Angeles, New York, Mexico City, Paris, she really saw it all. "There's just something magical about it. It's hard to explain but it's almost like love is in the air, and if you really try hard enough you can snatch the love right out of the sky and give it to a bird you adore."

This musing by Ana caught Rafael's attention from the next stool to her right. Despite the slight pain in his tummy, he lifted his heavy head off the surface of the bar where he had been resting and shifted it to face Ana. "My blue and yellow amiga, you're really on to something." He pointed behind his shoulder to the Spix's macaws and winked at Ana. "You may not believe it, but your neighbors over there actually shared their first dance in this club."

Ana's gasped with surprise at this revelation. Okay, it was pretend surprise. She already knew all about Blu and Jewel's love story from Nigel, the bird who betrayed the when they hired him to obtain the flower for them. Nigel had initially agreed to the deal they made with him. He would get to capture the Spix's macaws and do as he pleased with them, if only he retrieved the flower from Jewel and passed it on to Javier at the last second. Unfortunately, Nigel screwed Javier over, thinking it would be funny to lead the military macaw on. Ana smiled smugly as she thought back to the cockatoo's ultimate fate that day. _Serves him right. He got shredded by that propeller blade just like he shattered Javier's dignity. _"No way!" She leaned her body past Rafael so Blu and Jewel would be in her line of vision. "You two never told me any of that."

Blu and Jewel each lifted their heads off the smooth, sleek top of the bar and tilted them slightly in Ana's direction. Blu didn't look so good. His eyes were bloodshot, and his feathers were beginning to show green undertones to their dark blue. He looked like he might vomit at any moment. "Wha-what didn't we tell you?" Blu's stomach lurched sickeningly after he spoke, forcing him to cover his mouth with his beak and put his head down once more.

Ana went on despite the Spix's macaws' obvious discomfort. "You didn't tell me that you danced together for the first time in this club!" She placed her wings on her hips approvingly. "Whoever picked this joint as the first date site knew what they were doing. Those two birds down yonder run a sweet place." Ana hoped that Pedro or Nico would hear her compliment and wake up from their alcohol-induced nap, but she had no luck and she frowned disappointedly.

Now that they were talking about his favorite topic other than samba music, romance, Rafael was beginning to become more like his old self. "Yes, but that's not all that happened that fateful afternoon." His smile was so giddy, it was a wonder nobody mistook him for a five-year-old girl whose mother had just bought her a new toy. "My boy Blu almost got his first kiss that day!" He was practically jumping up and down in his stool.

Ana smiled, impressed with the male macaw who she knew to be socially awkward by nature. It was unlike him to make it so far, so fast. There was something that didn't add up though. "What do you mean Rafi by, almost?"

Rafael blushed, having been caught. His eyes darted from side to side guiltily. "Well, uh, I won't really get into it but let's just say that some monkeys kind of killed the mood."

"Oh," Ana said simply. She knew this already too, but wanted to see how the toucan would respond. In the end those monkeys had lived up to the stereotypes applied to their species that they were just greedy, bumbling buffoons. It was no wonder that the only thing apes were good for on TV was giving humans a laugh when they scratched their gross, hairy butts. She once again attempted to get Blu and Jewel's attention. It was just a couple treats for goodness sake! They were acting like they were dying. "Any other cute relationship tales you've been keeping to yourself for a year?" She placed a wing over her heart, pretending to be badly hurt. "I thought we were friends you two?"

All Ana earned was another moan from the two Spix's macaws; although, they seemed to be perking up just the tiniest bit. Rafael, on the other hand, let out a huge gasp as if someone told him Romeo and Juliet was the dumbest book they've ever read. He whirled around to face the two macaws with an ecstatic grin on his face. "Amigos, why didn't you tell me?!"

Jewel looked at Rafael dazedly. She blinked as if trying to focus on what was in front of her. "Tell you what?"

He rolled his eyes. "That it's your one year anniversary of being together, silly! It's a huge milestone; we've got to do something to celebrate!"

Kipo's jaw dropped. "That's wonderful; I'm so happy for you guys!" A slightly dejected look passed his face, but it was gone almost as soon as it came. "I always wished I'd find the perfect bird to spend the rest of my life with, but it's great that things have worked out so well for you two. I totally agree with Rafael; this is cause for a celebration!"

At the mention of a celebration, Pedro suddenly jerked his head off Nico's body, causing the canary to hit his head on the wooden surface hard. Nico rubbed his skull to calm the pain. "Ow! Pedro, a little warning next time?"

Pedro yawned and stretched his short wings over his head. "Sorry little buddy, but I couldn't help but overhear something about throwing a party?" He looked at each of his friends, hoping someone would give him more information. "What's the occasion?"

Ana twirled one of the feathers on top of her head and responded: "Blu and Jewel lasting one year as a couple so far. Who would have thought that such polar opposites would work together so well?"

This comment was the spark Blu needed to finally drag himself off the bartop and become distracted from his stomachache. He spun around to face Ana who arched an eyebrow as if to say: "What, you got a problem?" "Opposites attract, Ana," Blu spoke defensively. "Plus, we actually have more in common than you think." He pulled Jewel into a hug, and she happily wrapped her wings around her mate. "We both like music, want our kids to grow up to be kind and respectful birds, and we overcame really difficult pasts. Together, we form an unbreakable bond that nobody can break apart."

Jewel snuggled deeper into the space between Blu's chest and his beak. She smiled proudly up at him. "Well said Pet."

There was something on the tip of Ana's tongue, but she did not say it. Doing so would have blown her cover. Blu and Jewel were too stupid to realize that the very bird that possessed the most potential to destroy the life they enjoyed together was sitting right next to them. Instead, she just shrugged her shoulders as if what Blu said didn't get under her skin in the least. "Hey, I wasn't really knocking what you two have together. If anything, it was a way to say more power to you."

Blu nodded and stroked Jewel's back with his wing. He realized that maybe he overreacted a little. Maybe he would have responded differently if he was feeling 100% healthy right now. "Yeah, of course. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound so harsh."

Ana made a tiny half-smile with her beak. "No biggie," she said, even though she didn't really mean it. Normally, she wouldn't say even the slightest negative thing towards the Spix's macaws, since she needed them to like her for the first phase of her plan to work. However, phase two was about to begin. Therefore, there was more leeway for her to take her hidden anger out on the couple that forced her to leave her home and friends for so long.

Carla decided to speak up for the first time. She repeatedly wrapped the cords of her earbuds around on her wingtip and then uncoiled them. "So, just when is this party going to be?"

Pedro tapped his beak with his wing as he thought about it. "Well, why don't we have it the night after the talent show? Everyone will already be in a good mood after that, and there will be even more reason to celebrate if Carla puts on a spectacular perfomance." He noticed that after saying this, Carla blushed slightly. Pedro then turned to the toucan, who had suggested the event in the first place. "That sound good to you?"

Rafael nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like an excellent idea. I don't think we should have the party in the samba club, though. Closing it two night in a row for special events might hurt the regular business that pours in at those hours."

Nico spun his bottle cap hat on his wingtip reluctantly. He knew that they would have a bangin' time here, but Rafael had a point. They were in this to make money too, and the talent show was just for fun. They weren't exactly charging birds for tickets to see it. "Okay, well, where else could we have it? There's not exactly a lot of safe places in the city for us to just hang out and not get attacked by humans."

Rafael threw his wings up in the air happily. "We'll have it in the grotto by my house! No people ever come near my tree; it's perfect. Not to mention, the setting is magnificient. The waterfalls, trees, different colored flowers, it's like a miniature jungle paradise!" He grinned eagerly at Blu and Jewel, hoping very much that they were on board with his idea. "Does that work for you two?" Neither of them answered right away, in fact, both of them looked really uncomfortable. Their beaks were clenched tightly together, and they seemed ready to run for their lives out of fear. Rafael stared at them confusedly, uncertain what would warrant such a response. The only creatures that lived in the area besides him were Eva and their… oh. Rafael put on his best soothing voice and spoke: "Don't worry amigos, I will ensure that our kids behave so well you won't even know that they are there, honest."

Blu glanced at Jewel, wanting to see what she thought of that. She seemed to be more relieved than she had been a moment ago, and when she noticed Blu staring at her, she nodded her head. Blu let out a big breath. "Okay, we're down. If I start losing feathers though, I will be out of there faster than any of you can say Happy Anniversary."

Rafael chuckled, thrilled that the two agreed. "You have my word Blu that you and Jewel will be doing nothing that night but enjoying yourselves. After a year you both have earned that right." Everyone around the two Spix's macaws nodded and smiled at them, making the two blush. It really felt nice to have such wonderful friends that weren't just happy for you, they were also more than willing to spend their free time throwing you a celebration. Both Blu and Jewel couldn't think of any other birds who would do something like that. Suddenly, Rafael looked alarmed and he began to spin his head this way and that. The group of birds' attention was now set on the toucan's strange behavior. His gaze finally settled on Kipo, and he practically tackled the spoonbill.

Kipo took a step back, a frightened look in his eyes. "Jesus Rafael, what the hell has gotten into you?"

Rafael's heart was pounding at a scary speed. He swore that he was sweating due to his anxiety, even though he knew it wasn't possible for birds to sweat. "What's the time? I completely lost track of the time!"

Understanding washed over Kipo's face, and he immediately jerked his neck downwards to look at his watch. He cringed at what he saw. "Um, it's 2:20" He closed his eyes tight, preparing for Rafael's nervous breakdown.

Rafael's outermost feathers became the same color as the ones on his belly. He raised his wings to his head and clutched it so hard, everyone feared he was going to rip out his feathers. "Oh, Eva's gonna kill me!" He lept out of the bar stool and waved over his shoulder as he began to run for the door. "Enjoy the rest of your day guys! Don't worry lovebirds, I'll still be planning your party!" Then, he rushed through the exit as fast as his talons would carry him.

The remaining birds laughed at the toucan's speedy departure. Pedro and Nico were practically rolling on the bartop. "Forget gray feathers," Pedro joked as he wiped a tear from his eye, after she's done with him they'll be black and blue."

Jewel sighed happily. She placed her wings on her hips, and turned her head left and right to make sure all her children were present to hear what she was going to say. "Well guys, I think we'd better start making our way home too."

All four chicks groaned in response, but Blu firmly nodded his head. "Yes, I agree with your mother. We've had a blast here, but it's time to go home. Pedro and Nico have to get back to work." He turned to the cardinal and canary and bowed respectfully. "Thank you once again for a fun afternoon guys. I look forward to attending your show."

Nico waved a wing dismissively. "Aw, it was nothing dawg. You know we love it when you and the fam come to visit." He approached the chicks. "Y'all have a good day now. Be good to your parents; they're real nice birds."

Blu and Jewel's kids all nodded and answered innocently: "We promise!"

Pedro laughed and shook his head. "Yeah, right." He then shifted his attention to the blue and gold macaw sitting at the far left of the group. "You splittin' too hot wing?"

Ana stretched her wings lazily above her head. "I suppose I better be getting back to my tree now. It's been great, though, I was thoroughly impressed by your club. You will be seeing me back in the future."

Nico grinned at the macaw's review of their building. "Sweet, can't wait to see you next time! Just tell the bouncer you're friends of Nico and Pedro. He'll set you up somewhere real nice."

Ana saluted the little canary. "Will do."

Pedro began to flap his wings and lift himself up into the air, Nico following his lead. "Alright birds, peace out! Thanks again for dropping by!"

"No problem!" Blu waved to the canary and cardinal as the two headed for the DJ booth and his wife and kids made for the exit. "See you later!" As he reached the entryway and began to walk out, he noticed that Ana was lagging behind. He spun back around and arched an eyebrow at her. "Ana, you coming?"

Ana's eyes darted from side to side. "Um, do you think you guys can wait outside for me?" She pointed to the left side of the club. "I'm gonna use the ladies' room real quick."

Blu gave the macaw a friendly smile and nodded. "Sure, take all the time you need. We won't go anywhere."

Ana exhaled, relieved. "Thank you so much!" When Blu was out of sight, Ana began making her way back into the club. However, instead of walking towards the bathrooms she kept going straight to the bar. Once she got there, she sat back in her stool.

Kipo, who had been busy washing his friends' glasses, was startled when he turned around and saw Ana had returned. Quite the dopey grin found its way onto his beak and he began fiddling nervously with the band of his watch. "Hey, I though you left. Did you forget something?"

Ana giggled and shook her head no. She was feeling pretty anxious as well. Her stomach felt as if it was being stretched every which way, and her legs were shaking so hard she could have sworn they were made of gelatin. To calm herself down, she began to play with her feathers, her usual nervous tic. "Uh, actually, I just wanted to talk to you about something."

Kipo's smile faded and his expression turned serious. He quickly put the glass he was still holding on the shelf behind him, and then leaned in close to Ana. "Sure, what's on your mind?"

Ana kept her eyes on the surface of the bar. "Well, do you remember what you said earlier? You know, about wishing you were able to find that bird you could spend forever with?"

Kipo nodded and then chuckled. "You're not here to propose to me or something are you?"

This made Ana laugh and lowered her heart rate ever so slightly. She still would not look directly at the spoonbill. "No, nothing that extreme. Although, I did want to ask you something along those lines." Ana finally lifted her eyes to Kipo and reached for one of his wings. He looked down and allowed her to take it in her own. Squeezing tight, she asked: "Would you, maybe, want to go out sometime? I think you're really funny and nice. You're the only bird I really talked to this whole afternoon, and everyone was great, but you're special. I'd love to get to know you better."

Kipo's eyes lit up with happiness. A smile so wide appeared on his bill, Ana worried it might break his face. "I'd love to! In fact, if you're not doing anything tomorrow night, why don't we head to the Christ the Redeemer statue? We could have like, a picnic or something after I get off work?"

Ana grinned shyly. "That sounds perfect, but on one condition."

"Anything." Kipo insisted.

She let go of Kipo's wing and poked him teasingly in the chest. "You're probably gonna have to make it. I literally don't know how to do anything related to cooking besides crack open a nut."

Kipo laughed. "No problem. Tonight was a boring night for me anyway. The new Vampire Diaries episode doesn't premiere until Friday."

Ana gasped and placed both wings over her beak to hide her ridiculous smile. "OMG, are you a superfan too? It's my favoritest show!"

Kipo nodded eagerly. "Oh yeah, I've watched all four seasons so far! If everything goes well tomorrow, we should plan our second date to be a sit-at-home TV party!"

Ana was practically glowing with excitement. She would have never guessed that someone like Kipo would be into something like a supernatural romance story. Until now, she was kind of dreading going on a date with someone she had no real feelings for. At least now, they would have something to talk about before she got what she needed and she could dump his sorry, feathery butt. She climbed onto the bartop and crawled towards Kipo so that she was inches from his massive beak. She drug a talon down the center of it and lowered her voice so that it sounded threatening. "Don't get ahead of yourself Mister, you still have to impress me tomorrow remember?"

Kipo touched his bill to Ana's beak. She was so close to him, he could have kissed her right there. His lips on hers was all he was thinking about in that moment. _She's killing me, but I don't want to scare her away. Do this right Kipo, you're a good bird. The kiss comes after the dinner, not before. _"Oh, I remember," he whispered. "I'll see you at the statue's base, 8:00?"

Ana looked down at the extravagant piece of jewelry on his wing. She fought the tremendous urge to snatch it greedily right then and there. That watch was the sole purpose of everything she had done in the past year., the end game. _God, look at it. It's staring me right in the face, knowing that it's killing me that I can't have it yet. Patience Ana, you've waited this long. The watch comes after this stupid date, not before. By tomorrow night, it will be on the wing of another bird. Someone much more deserving of the power its little green gem possesses. Someone like Angel. _Her gaze returned to Kipo's eyes and she lept off the bartop. Landing on the floor, she flipped the long feathers on top of her head and whirled to face the club's exit. As she walked away, she called over her shoulder: "I wouldn't miss it for the world!"


	6. 6 Blu, Also Known As, Master Thief

**Chapter 6: Blu, Also Known As, Master Thief**

Later that night in Rio de Janeiro, the temperature went down considerably after what was a decently hot day. The pitch-black sky contained not a single cloud, so that millions of tiny, twinkling stars could be seen lighting up the jungle. A half moon hung without a care, spilling its bright, white light on the endless trees and plants that surrounded the city. From where Blu and his family slept inside their cozy, little tree, the sound of crickets chirping could be heard. Fireflies danced just outside the entrance, oblivious to the restless bird that laid nearby. While his children and wife slumbered peacefully in their own individual beds, Blu tossed and turned next to his wife. Earlier that night, Blu felt perfectly fine. He played with his kids after they got home, ate dinner, and went to bed. Now, he couldn't sleep. His thoughts kept returning to one single object: the missing flower. As he scrunched his eyes tighter and tighter, attempting to will the meddlesome image out of his brain, he realized it was pointless. He'd never feel fully calm again until the plant was no longer in the talons of their enemies. Blu opened his eyes and sat up as quietly as he could. Luckily for him, Jewel hadn't been snuggling in his arms this time he dealt with one of his pesky nightmares. His heart thudded in his chest, even as he tried to slow his breathing so he wouldn't wake anyone. Almost unconsciously, Blu's dark brown eyes narrowed and his beak set in a determined frown. _I am going to find that flower if it's the last thing I do. I failed to protect it, and I'll be damned if I let one of those evil birds bring any harm to my family. _He checked once more to ensure that Jewel hadn't sensed his movements. She appeared to be dozing calm as a kitten. Her stomach rose and fell along with her measured breaths. Blu stood up and crept on the very claws of his talons to the back of their home where the TV was set upon a stump. He peered over his shoulder at his children, whose makeshift beds were close by. Not one of them stirred. Blu let out a relieved breath through his nose, and reached behind the television to pull out the map of Rio he printed off the computer in the aviary over one year ago. He studied it sadly, observing how old it now looked. There were countless wrinkles and creases in the yellowing paper. Dried up streaks of ink dotted it after the map got drizzled with rain during one of Blu's many searches. However, the flight path Blu sketched still could be made out perfectly fine. Blu took one last look at his mate. Jewel brought a smile to his beak every time he saw her. He knew she wouldn't approve of him sneaking out at night to go look for the flower, but he didn't care. Even if he didn't find it tonight, and that possibility was very likely, he at least needed to try. The OCD was driving him clinically insane. As he made his way to the exit of their dwelling, he carefully evaded sharp strands of bark that stuck up from the tree's floor. While he was preoccupied with these obstacles though, Blu unintentionally stepped on an unshelled Brazil nut that fell out of somebody's bowl at breakfast that morning. Blu cringed as the nut crunched under his weight. He whirled his head to the side, desperately trying to keep his breath steady as he heard Jewel groan. His pulse quickened to what was most likely an unhealthy speed, but thankfully dropped when Jewel flipped her body to face him and she continued to sleep. Blu exhaled as quietly as he could manage and then resumed his journey to the hole that led outside. When he reached the rim, Blu latched onto the map with his talons, spread his wings, and took off into the night. Once he was out of earshot from his family and neighbor he spoke to himself: "That was a really close one."

#

An hour later, Blu began to grow sleepy and frustrated. He decided that it would be best to take a little break for a while, so he swiftly landed on the roof of one of Rio's taller apartment buildings. Blu sighed and put his head in his wings. Every part of his body seemed to be telling him to shut his eyes and fall asleep right there on the dirty, concrete surface, but Blu's soul refused to listen. He would not give up until he either found something tonight, or the first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon. For what felt like the billionth time, Blu lifted the map so he could investigate it. He rubbed his eyes and let out an angry growl. "I just don't get it. I've looked all over the place. Where the hell could they be hiding this thing?" Blu could sense tears starting to well up in his eyes, but he blinked them away. He would not let them make him cry, they would not get to him. "Oh, but they are getting to me! Forget it, I can't do this! I give up!" In a fit of rage, Blu tore the map to pieces with his claws and beak. He didn't stop until the paper was nothing more than hundreds of miniature, indecipherable shreds. As if mocking him, a gust of wind picked up for the first time all day and blew every last bit of his guide to the city away. Blu's eyes widened with fear as he watched them fly off into the breeze, never to be seen again. His beak began to tremble and the tears fell. Big, fat drops of water soaked his feathers while he felt sorry for himself. "What did you have to do that for Blu?" He beat his beak with his talon, the way he often did when he became upset over a choice he made. "You stupid, stupid Spix's macaw! You'll never find the flower now! You're such an idiot!"

Blu just sat there in silence for what seemed like forever, listening to the noise a stray car made every now and then as it rolled along the barren roadways down below. All the structures around him were shrouded in darkness, everyone asleep in their beds. Blu knew that was where he should be right now. He just couldn't bring himself to face his mate or kids. He let them down, all because he couldn't control his temper. "Javier was right," he mumbled, "I am a loser. Now that nightmare I had last night is going to come true." He shuddered as he recalled the burning city, the mass stampede of humans as they ran for their lives, the birds enslaved by the cruel falcon. "I was a fool to try to stop all this alone. I should have let Jewel help me, or told my friends about the danger that the flower could cause." He shook his head, feeling even worse than he used to when Chloe and Alice made him believe he was good for nothing. Turns out they were right too. Blu looked up to the sky as if the flower would magically float down into his damp, tear-stained wings. All he could think of to say were three simple words. "I need help."

Suddenly, a cloud appeared in the sky. Blu's face scrunched up in confusion at the sight of it. This didn't make any sense; there were no clouds in the sky that night. "It isn't scientifically possible." He of all birds should know, considering the numerous science textbooks he perused in Linda's bookstore. "Clouds don't just materialize out of nowhere." The strangeness didn't stop there; however, as the mass of matter shifted itself around until it formed a familiar shape: the outline of a female Spix's macaw. Now Blu's jaw dropped in awe. It just looked so realistic, almost as if there was indeed a bird right in front of him. The bird, er, cloud's wingtip pointed to the ground below. Blu ran to the edge of the building and peered down. Unfortunately, since none of the humans had their lights on, Blu couldn't even see the pavement. It was like looking into a bottomless cavern. As if sensing what the issue was, the moon shone its light down on the exact site the cloud was directing Blu too. Blu squinted his eyes hard and was able to make out a small object on the dirt. He glided down from his perch on the rooftop and landed next to it. When Blu picked it up, his eyes became so big they looked like saucers, and his heart began to hammer in his chest. _A feather, _he thought, _a green feather, just like Javier's. _Blu arched his neck up to the sky, but the cloud had disappeared. He scratched his head with his wingtip, unable to comprehend what just happened. _Did I really just get a response to my request for help, or am I dreaming? I thought things like this only happen in movies where a voice just starts talking out of nowhere, or guiding you to a secret location. _Blu shrugged his shoulders, dropped the feather, and looked around. _I'm not complaining, though, that bird-shaped cloud just gave me the biggest break I've had in a year. _

From the looks of it, he stood in what would be considered in a big city, a backyard. However, there wasn't a single blade of grass in sight, only dust and dirt. The building he just took a leap of faith off of towered to his right, and to his left a little alleyway ran up a steep hill. Blu walked carefully over to the smaller structure in front of him. He couldn't tell for sure due to his short stature, but he thought the thing in front of him was a house. Blu watched many spy movies before so he knew how to find out if anyone continued to occupy a residence. "I'll check the fuse box." He flew up to a small, rectangular-shaped contraption, and pulled the rusty, black metal door open with his beak. The creaking noise the door made as it swung reminded Blu of someone scratching their nails on a chalkboard. He scrunched his face up in discomfort and then studied the numerous switches inside carefully. "Huh, there's only two lights on right now: the one for the living room and an office." Blu traced his talon over the label of a different circuit breaker and squinted his eyes to better read the words in the darkness. "The TV is on too." He looked over his shoulder, suddenly nervous, and hopped back onto the ground once more. Dusting himself off, he started to talk to himself again to break the eerie silence. No cars had gone by in a while, so Blu guessed it must be really late by now. "If you're really going to do this Blu, you've got to do it now. Once it's morning, you'll miss your chance." He shook out his feathers, preparing to enter… once he found a way in, that is. He shifted his eyes all around looking for a back door or window anything, but all he saw was a concrete block on the ground. _That's weird, why is there a cinderblock here when nothing around me is made of those. It's almost like someone brought it here to hide something. _Blu marched over to the block and put his wings on top of it. Bending at the waist, he inhaled a big breath and let it out as he began to push the brick with all his might. He grunted and wheezed as the block gave way inch by inch. Blu could feel the veins swelling in his head and the sweat start to gather under his wings. _Ugh, I'm going to need to take a bath in the river later. _Finally, the obstacle slid far enough to uncover what was behind it. Blu gulped as he took in the sight: a tunnel of sorts that led into the building. He peered into the endless darkness and struggled to keep himself from passing out. "Oh, it had to be in some scary dark place. It's like they knew I'm afraid of the dark." Still, all he could do was put his fear aside the best he could and take his first step inside. Blu hugged himself to keep warm as he went further into the cold, black passageway that he imagined was just as unforgiving as Angel would be if he found out the Spix's macaw were there.

#

Blu trembled with fear as he continued to creep along the cracked cement that contained the occasional puddle from years of untreated water damage. His anxiety levels only rose as he noticed a light at the end of the tunnel. He put a wing over his beak to stop his breath from coming out so loudly. _Through your nose Blu, you will not remove this wing until you start breathing through your nose. I don't care if you suffocate right here; that's better than being skewered by Javier's blade._ Eventually, Blu's organs obeyed and he began to breathe quietly. After about ten more paces, Blu reached the threshold into what he assumed was the living room. The lightbulb that hung from the hideous beige-colored ceiling was indeed on, and the space seemed too large to be an office. Blu hid on the right side of a brown couch, his heart beating wildly in his chest. He could hear the sound of breathing just above him. _Someone's in here. _Blu dug his talons deeper into the mustard-colored plush carpet and wished he could shrink himself down to undetectable size. He had been so caught up in his own fright that he failed to hear the sound of a television program running on the screen of the appliance that was perched on top of a ratty folding table. _Wow, _Blu thought, his face wrinkled in disgust, _Where did they find that piece of crap? In the alley? _He turned his attention to the show once more, hoping that it would calm his shot nerves. A smile made its way onto his beak for perhaps the first time that entire night as he realized it was the pilot episode of "Dexter." The title character in the series played a serial killer who used his talent for good, killing only other murderers who actually preyed on innocent people. Linda would often watch the show, but since it got bloody at times, she made Blu watch it with her.

"I'm not scared Blu," Linda would say, "it's just more fun to have company."

Blu tried his best not to chuckle at the thought of Linda doing her best to lie to him and failing. He didn't have to try hard, for his blood went ice cold in his veins at the familiar cackle that echoed through the large room. Apparently, the bird on the sofa was none other than the Spix's macaws' archenemy, Javier. Blu stepped back ever so slightly so he could see what the military macaw was doing. Presently, Javier held a sadistic grin on his face, and he clasped his wings together in anticipation. Blu turned his head to the TV and noticed that Dexter had tied up a criminal and was preparing to finish him off. "Oh, I can't wait to see the blood spray all over the damn place!" Blu shuddered at the macaw's insanity. Only someone like Javier would be excited to watch humans, albeit very bad humans, get slaughtered in the most brutal ways writers could dream up. He could practically sense Javier holding his breath as Dexter held a cleaver meant for butchering meat over his victim's body. Blu squeezed his eyes shut as he heard the thick metal meet the man's limbs and Javier bounce off the couch into the air with a joyful yell. Blu returned to hugging the couch's side, just in time to see the TV screen go black. The evil military macaw yawned and stretched his wings over his head. "Man, that was great. Nothing like a little horror to get you ready for bed." Blu's eyes widened, and a sly smile spread across his beak. _This is my chance. If he's going to sleep, I can snoop around. _He shifted his attention to a door cracked open slightly on the wall next to the TV. Weak, yellow light poured out of the tiny gap between wall and door. _That must be the office. Only the most important bird of the group would have a room all to themselves. I bet that's where Angel is keeping the flower. With any luck, he'll have fallen asleep by now. _Blu waited patiently until he heard the soft, rhythmic breathing that you only do when you are asleep coming out of Javier's beak. Then, he tiptoed across the room to the door and slipped inside.

#

Blu felt more afraid than he had ever felt in his fifteen years on Earth. His legs were shaking so hard, he feared he would fall flat on the maroon rug underneath his talons. He touched two wingtips to his heart to take his pulse, which was dangerously fast. _Cheese and sprinkles! I'm gonna keel over from a heart attack before I even find this stupid flower! _Luckily for Blu's cardiovascular system, his heart rate decreased a little when the sound of loud snoring hit his ears. Blu let out a relieved breath as softly as he could. He looked up to see a falcon asleep on a wooden desk chair. His light gray head rested on his black shoulders, and when Blu squinted he could see just the tiniest bit of drool dripping from the bird's sharp yellow beak. Blu shivered with fear at the thought of what a beak like that could do to him. Javier was a military macaw; therefore, his body wasn't naturally built for preying on other animals. That was the reason he carried weapons. On the other hand, Angel was a falcon. He was a carnivorous predator. If he wished, he could tear Blu's body to pieces and devour him for dinner. Blu narrowed his eyes at the villain who sought to rule Rio with an iron talon. _Not on my watch, jerk. _ He took a few steps further into the room, noticing that there really wasn't many places you could hide things. The space enclosed by four windowless, grime-covered cream walls contained little furniture. The first place Blu looked was inside a brown, plastic trash can. He frowned as he saw there was nothing inside it but countless bones. Blu didn't even want to think about the poor creatures to whom they belonged. Next, he fluttered onto the desktop that ran around the length of two walls. It was the kind of workspace in which a human would use a chair with wheels to quickly move from one end of the long surface to the other. His heart lurched into his throat when he heard Angel intake a sharp breath of air. _Oh no, he must have heard me flying! I'm screwed, I'm screwed! _

Thankfully for Blu, Angel seemed to calm down. His breathing returned to its previous speed and Blu let out a soft, terrified breath. He shook himself free of his terror and began sliding open the sanded-down, wooden drawers of the desk one by one. The first contained a few pencils and pieces of paper. The second, a small cherry-red DVD player and a few Spanish romantic comedies. Blu arched an eyebrow at the falcon as he let the drawer shut. _I highly doubt anyone is gonna fall in love with a psychotic murderer anytime soon, but I guess we all have that desire for companionship. _He tugged on the handle of the last drawer extra slowly and carefully, since this one was closest to the slumbering bird. Blu's eyes widened at the images inside. There were dozens of photos of female falcons, all doing very naughty things to their male counterparts. _Whoa. Well, when you're single… _The Spix's macaw was eager to close this drawer but stopped when he noticed something peculiar. Unlike the bottoms of the other two drawers, this one didn't reach all the way to the side with the handle. In fact, Blu thought there was enough space in between to lift the bottom up and hide something under it. He moved the pictures aside and grabbed hold of the wooden slab. He lifted it up and out of the drawer, and as he did his beak widened into a grin that could have lit up the dark tunnel he trekked through to get here. Inside lay the flower, the last thing that Jewel had left to remember her mother and her former life, the object Blu had searched tirelessly for over a year to reclaim. At long, long last he found it. Blu picked it up and just stared at it for a few moments, tears of joy coming to his eyes. _I did it; I actually did it. I'm not a loser. On the contrary, I'm an expert detective. _He shifted his gaze to the falcon who still slept, unaware of the intruder that stood inches from him. Blu smiled, knowing that he would never be able to accomplish his twisted plans now. Swiftly but as quietly as he could manage, Blu reset the drawer to how he found it. Then, he hopped off the desk onto the soft maroon carpet and practically ran out of Angel's office and into the dark corridor once more.

#

Back outside, Blu got to work pushing the heavy cinderblock back where he found it. He certainly didn't enjoy performing backbreaking work twice in one night, but things had to be put back exactly the way he found them. If not, the bad guys would surely know their little secret hideout got discovered. Blu wiped a wing across his forehead to rid it of the sweat he worked up, and then took to the sky. He flew a short distance away from the abandoned building and landed on top of the roof of a much taller structure. Now that the coast was clear and he wasn't in any immediate danger, Blu took the opportunity to celebrate the true extent of his victory. He raised his wings up into the air and shook them excitedly. "YESSS!" he cheered. "I DID IT!" He started dancing all around the top of the building, while praising himself. "Who's the best? I am! I said who's the greatest? Me, me, me!"

He sat down on the massive air conditioning unit that buildings in major cities often had and caught his breath. Smiling at the gorgeous pink flower in his wings, he thought about how elated Jewel would feel once he brought it home to her. "I'll have to tell her not to cry, probably. This is the kind of thing she gets emotional over. Oh, the kids are gonna be so proud of their dad! How many birds sneak into a guarded lair and make it out alive?" As he thought about that; however, his happy mood began to dissolve like air leaking out of a balloon. He put his head in his wings and let out a frustrated groan. "Who am I kidding? I can't take this thing home! Angel isn't stupid; I'm sure he checks on the flower regularly. He'll find out that it's missing and then send Javier after us once more. I've got to find somewhere safer to keep the flower." He tapped his beak with his talon as he thought. "It's got to be a place they wouldn't think to look. Maybe what I should do is tell one of my friends about the flower finally and ask them to look after it." After all, had Blu told them much sooner, they could have split up the work of searching the city. Blu may have found the flower months ago if that was the case. "If I do it before Angel and Javier realize it's missing, they won't be able to figure out who has it. They'll be running all over the city just like I've been for the past year!"

Blu laughed at the idea of Javier flying through the city, clueless towards where the flower could be. It'd serve him right, that's for sure. "The question is, who can I trust to take the matter seriously enough?" After several minutes of pondering, Blu's brain finally lit up with the perfect bird for the job. He quickly lifted off the top of the building and headed towards the outskirts of Rio. _I just really hope Rafael doesn't mind me waking him up in the dead hours of the night. I know he needs his rest with eighteen little kids running around all day._


	7. 7 Blu, You've Got Trust Issues

**Chapter 7: Blu, You've Got Trust Issues**

Twenty minutes later, Blu reached the borderline between the city of Rio and the jungle just beyond it. He turned his head left to right to take in the vast expanse of green beneath him. Blu didn't come to Rafael's section of the forest quite often. Both birds were just too busy with their individual families to make time to get together. Eva rarely let Rafael leave the house; she despised taking care of so many kids alone. Blu understood why she felt that way; the toucan chicks were the second reason Blu tried his best to avoid going to see Rafael at his home. It wasn't exactly pleasant being tackled to the ground, tied up with vines, and having your feathers ripped out by ornery children. Blu smiled, relieved that he and the toucan would be meeting long after the chicks had been put to bed. He expected no trouble whatsoever.

#

When Blu finally touched down in Rafael's grotto, he became overcome with nostalgia at the sight of the tall wooden lookout structure near Rafi's tree. His heart began to hum happily as he thought of the night he spent with Jewel hiding there. Back when he and Jewel first met, Blu couldn't fly and was more than a little skittish about being in the wild. He insisted that the two sleep in the tower until the next morning when they would focus on coming up with a way to break the chain that bound them together. The following day they met Rafael and his family, in not the most endearing way of course. Blu peered around to his backside, recalling the many bites he suffered there at the beaks of the toucan chicks that day. He shook his head to remove himself from his flashback and started to head to the trees to the right of the wooden post. As he stepped deeper into the dense grove, the ground got gradually muddier. This was due to the fact that the sun could not break through the thick growth of palm leaves and dry the area when rainstorms hit. Blu's talons were caked with sludge and dirt by the time he emerged into the clearing beyond the trees. He bent down and attempted to clean himself with his wings. A disgusted grimace covered his face. "Oh, this is so gross. I can't stand being unclean; it makes me feel bad on the inside." Eventually Blu gave up when he only succeeded in turning his wingtips an unappealing dark brown. He sighed, annoyed. "I'll just wait for the mud to dry I guess, and then brush it off outside our tree." Now feeling grouchy, Blu flew up to the branch just to the right of the entrance to Rafael's tree. He hesitated to knock; however. Blu couldn't go inside the bird's house and track mud all over the place. Eva had enough to deal with already; she would strangle him if she had to clean the floor too. _What can I do? _Suddenly, it hit Blu and his face lit up. He swiveled his head around and took in the river hidden by a clump of bushes on the ground. _How could I have forgotten that that little stream was there? It's one of the beautiful things that make where Rafael lives so special. _

Blu hovered down to the water's edge and dipped his talons inside. As soon as he did, his eyes widened with shock and he lept back out of the water. Since it was nighttime, the water was freezing cold. Blu's beak was already beginning to click uncontrollably, his equivalent to a human's shivering. He rubbed his wings over his chest quickly to warm up, but also while trying not to get any more of himself muddy, He didn't fancy a swim in a body of water about as cold as the ponds where people would ice fish in Minnesota. _I'll just stick my limbs in slower this time, one by one. _Blu started with his right talon. He cringed again when the icy liquid made contact with it, but patiently held it under until all the mud flowed off and downstream. Blu repeated the process with his next talon and then each wing. After using a nearby palm leaf as a crude towel to dry off, Blu returned to his place outside Rafael's home. Blu rubbed his chin with his wing as he thought about the best way to go about this. _I only need Rafael out here, so probably best not to just march in and start making a lot of noise. I can't wake up the kids and I sure as hell can't interrupt Eva's rest. I'll get drowned in the river. _For some reason, the image of Eva blowing her top brought a sly grin to Blu's face. Sometimes he found it funny when she got angry, but only when it was towards Rafael. She tended to go easier on him because she loved him so much, she couldn't stay mad at him for long.

In the end, Blu decided to tiptoe inside the tree's hole. The interior was a real mess. Toys of all shapes and sizes littered the wooden floor. From dolls and stuffed animals to model cars and trains, it really looked like the toucan kids had anything their heart desired. Blu of course couldn't help but feel that they continued to ask for more though. They were the type of kids who were just never satisfied with what they owned and never realized just how good they had it. Someday they would mature but that day was likely still very far in the distance. _I'd love to know where they found all this stuff. _Blu's question was answered as his gaze fell on a stack of cardboard boxes in the corner. Each said "Clearance Sale: Toy Department of Rio." _Hmm, the owner probably tossed them when nobody bought the toys. I'll bet Rafi found the boxes and took them home. At least somebody's getting use out of everything. _Blu skillfully evaded the mine field of objects until he reached the back wall. The toucan parents set up an ingenious system of hammocks on the wall furthest from the entrance. The cradles consisted of banana leaves, which were strong enough to hold a bird's body, tied to the bark of the tree with the same vines that the toucan kids used to hogtie Blu and Jewel. The chicks' beds, Blu noticed, hung in six columns of three. Two larger leaves were positioned to the right, and Blu assumed these belonged to Rafael and Eva. However, when Blu approached he cocked his head in confusion. The two hammocks each held a pink sticky note on the front of them. The top note read: "The Bed For Happy Lovebirds." If Blu stepped back just a touch, he could see Eva sleeping soundly inside it. She had her head laid atop her wings, and she snored loudly. At first Blu didn't understand why the bed was dubbed as the one for happy lovebirds if only one bird used it. Rafael slept on the hammock below it, and everything becane clear to Blu when he studied the note stuck to it which stated that this was "The Bed For Birds In The Doghouse." Blu clapped a wing over his beak as he struggled to hold in a laugh. From the looks of it, Eva made Rafael sleep here tonight for coming home from the samba club later than 2:00 that afternoon. He shook his head at his amigo, feeling bad for him. _Eva really knows how to lay down the law. I must say that I'm glad Jewel isn't that intense. I don't know if I'd be able to put up with someone like that every day. _He shrugged his shoulders. _I suppose Rafael can see past that; I certainly couldn't but to each his own I guess. _

Blu reached into the hammock where Rafael slept on his back. He shook him gently with his wings, causing Rafael to open his eyes slowly after a few seconds. When he took in the sight of the Spix's macaw in front of him, his eyes widened considerably, so Blu quickly put a wingtip to his beak to signal Rafi to keep quiet. Rafael nodded his head and watche Blu motion to the tree's exit with his wing. The toucan climbed out of bed and landed on the wooden floor without a sound. Carefully, the two friends crossed the obstacle course of playthings until they reached the hole in the tree and stepped outside.

#

Once they reached a branch high above the entrance to Rafael's home, the toucan stretched his large wings above his head and yawned. He blinked his eyes, trying to rid his brain of the cloud of tiredness which threatened to make him fall asleep right on the uncofortable piece of wood. "Ay Blu, mi amigo, why are you here at this hour?" He arched an eyebrow as if considering for the first time that something was probably wrong if Blu stopped by at such a strange time. "Is everything okay back at your place?"

Blu gulped nervously but nodded his head. Even though he knew he could trust Rafael with the secret he and Jewel had been keeping for so long, his heart pounded in his chest. Blu suspected the reason he felt so uneasy was his guilt over not telling his buddy sooner. He hoped Rafael wouldn't be hurt that he didn't let him know right away, because when Blu didn't tell Jewel about his parents quickly she'd gotten upset. Blu took a deep breath before he began. It didn't do any good to worry about what Rafael's reaction was going to be. He'd just have to find out. "Well, yes nothing out of the ordinary is going on back at the tree, but things aren't exactly peachy-keen right now." Blu looked down at the branch and picked at the nails on his talons.

Rafael became more alert now, his desire to go back to bed forgotten. His eyes filled with concern for his best friend. "Why, what's going on? You can tell me Blu. I'll help you any way I can; I promise."

"That's really good to hear Rafi because I actually came here to ask you a really important favor." Blu shifted his gaze up to the toucan's brown eyes and stared into them with more seriousness than he had ever before."

"Anything," Rafael insisted.

Blu dug into the ruffle of feathers under his wing and extracted the pink flower that seemed to cause everyone who held it so much trouble. He just hoped that wouldn't be the case for Rafael. Blu knew he couldn't live with himself if harm came to his friend or the toucan's loved ones. Rafael's brow wrinkled in confusion at the sight of the plant in Blu's wings, but he didn't interrupt Blu. Instead, he calmly awaited the Spix's macaw's explanation. "Remember the flower Javier stole from Jewel a year ago? You know, right after she laid the eggs?"

Suddenly, recognition washed over Rafael and his jaw dropped in shock. He pointed a shaking wing at the flower as if it were a bomb that could go off at any second. "H-how did you get it back?"

Blu closed his eyes, not exactly thrilled to recall where he just came from. "Well, tonight I sort of snuck into their hideout and found it." He opened his eyes once more, his voice now filled with fear. "Listen Rafael, there is more to the flower than making Jewel look pretty. There's a reason Javier was so desparate to get his wings on it, and it's because it's one of four items his boss needs to accomplish some kind of sick plan."

The bewildered stare returned to Rafael, stronger than before. He shook his head as if trying to clear his thoughts to make room for this new piece of information. "I don't quite understand. What are they planning to do, and how could a silly flower possibly be involved?"

"I don't know exactly what the flower's purpose is, but I do know that if it comes into Javier's employer's possession along with the other three items, he will have the power to take over Rio." Blu looked like he could faint at any second from fright. "He wants to control all the birds and make them serve him. I had this vision of what it would be like. The city was in chaos and humans were running for their lives." Blu peered down at the flower he held tightly in his wings. "If this silly flower falls back into the wrong wings, it could mean disaster for us all."

Rafael's eyes widened and his heart began to pound harder. He couldn't comprehend all this; it was just too much. Blu having visions and some evil mastermind out to rule the city? It all seemed impossible. How could a flower have some kind of power like that? What were these other three items? All Rafael now had was even more questions. Blu hadn't really explained anything to him. "Why didn't you let me know about any of this if the situation was so urgent? I-I could've helped you find it and bring it back to your home. That way it wouldn't have taken you a year to figure out where it was."

Blu hung his head in shame. He'd beaten himself up over this very fact for months but hearing someone say it out loud for the first time just made him feel even worse about it. "I know that it was stupid to keep everything a secret, but I just didn't want anyone to worry. The possibility of a tyrant in charge of your home was the very last thing I thought you needed on your minds."

Rafael rolled his eyes. He liked Blu, he really did, but if there was one trait of his that got on the toucan's nerves it was Blu's tendency to think he knew what was best for everyone. Blu just thought he was so much smarter than the rest of them. "That wasn't your call to make Blu. I'd say that we have a right to know if we're going to be in danger. You let us go around like idiots for the last year as if we didn't have a care in the world!"

Blu trembled, trying not to totally break down in front of the toucan. He wasn't used to Rafael being angry; therefore, his words cut through his thin skin more than anybody's ever had. "You're right Rafi, and I'm really sorry. If I could go back in time, I would have told you all at the baby shower. I made a very dumb decision and I'm sorry for it."

Rafael sighed. He knew Blu meant what he said, but he certainly wasn't in a charitable mood right now. For God's sake, Blu woke him up out of a sound sleep to tell him all this crap! Sue him for feeling tired and irritable. He stretched his bloodshot eyes with his wing, trying to keep himself awake. "Does Jewel know about any of this, or have you really been keeping all this to yourself?"

Blu nodded. "Yeah she knows, but I was the only one searching for the flower. Someone needed to be home, watching the kids and Jewel didn't want to go."

Rafael threw his wings up into the air. "Blu, why are you telling me this all of a sudden?" He gestured towards the flower Blu still carried. "You found it, so why are you here in the middle of the night instead of at home celebrating with Jewel?"

Blu cringed. This was the moment he'd been dreading since he lifted off from the building near Angel's lair. He took a few seconds to prepare himself and then just decided to fire away. "I flew here right after I got it because I was hoping that you could keep it in your tree somehwere."

Rafael let out a breath and looked anywhere but at Blu. He didn't really know how to respond to Blu's request. He didn't exactly need psychotic killers banging down his doorstep, putting his family in danger. He moved one talon from side to side on the floor and shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry amigo but I really don't think that's a good idea." Now that he heard what Blu had in mind, he felt paranoid. He craned his neck to the jungle behind Blu. "You sure nobody saw you come here?"

Blu nodded firmly. He had a feeling that Rafael wouldn't immediately say yes, but Blu hadn't finished his spiel yet. "I'm sure. When I left the building they all camp out in, everyone was still asleep. I even landed on this one apartment complex for a couple minutes to relax after all the stress. I didn't see anyone." Rafael didn't seem completely convinced. His eyes continued to dart around like a caged animal and he was now hugging his wings to his chest as if to shield himself. Upset over seeing his pal like this, Blu placed a wing comfortingly on the toucan's shoulder. "Look, I get why you don't want to do this Rafael. You're worried that they're gonna storm this joint and tear it apart to find the flower."

Rafael nodded rapidly. Blu had hit the nail right on the head. "Of course I am! They've already done that twice! Once at the samba club and then at your home!"

"Yes Rafi but that's exactly why I need to hide the flower somewhere different!" Annoyance started to creep into Blu's tone. Why couldn't Rafael just be a good friend and help out? "They're going to realize it's missing. They're not stupid; I'm sure they do daily checks or whatever. When they find out, who do you think they're going to suspect took it?" Blu pointed to himself and Rafael sighed. Blu put his other wing on Rafael's other shoulder, the way a coach might do if he was giving one of his players a pep talk. He lowered his voice, concerned that his frustration came through too much before. "You barely got in Javier's way at the club. He threatened you for literally two seconds before Kipo distracted him. You aren't on their radar. None of them know where you live. Nobody will figure out where the flower is or that you have it." Blu could tell that Rafael was currently in the middle of weighing the pluses and miuses in his head. Blu silently prayed that the toucan would choose to help. He had no other options right now. If this plan failed, he'd have to sit on the flower until he thought of something else and that rivaled begging Javier to slit his throat. Tears of desperation came to Blu's eyes and he held his wings together pleadingly. "Come on Rafael, I'm your amigo. Do this for me?"

Rafael finally sighed and nodded his head reluctantly. He held out a wing, allowing Blu to drop the flower into it. Blu smiled and used a wing to wipe the salty liquid from his eyes. He opened his beak to thank Rafael, but before he could the toucan held up a wing, silencing him. Rafael looked at the macaw, his eyes more serious than Blu had ever seen them. In fact, Blu actually became a little frightened by this unusual display of emotion from the bird. "I will help you Blu, but I'm telling you right now. If Javier or his boss show up and hurt my family, we will be done. Amigo or not, my wife and children matter more to me than any friendship I have."

Blu gulped, his head beginning to swell with unshed tears. The very idea that Rafael might hate him was enough to make him want to leave Rio and never come back. Blu knew that this plan would work, though. Javier wouldn't think to look in this grotto, right? He didn't know where Rafael lived; there wasn't anything to worry about. Blu nodded his head. "Understood. Thank you so much Rafael; you're an amazing friend. In fact, you're the greatest buddy I've ever had in my life."

Rafael made a sort of half smile and then motioned to his tree with his bill. "I'd better be getting back Blu. It's really late and if Eva notices I'm gone, she's going to freak out."

Blu laughed. "Same, I need to get home. Jewel doesn't know where I went tonight. She thinks I'm still asleep back in the tree."

Rafael's smile faded completely and he shook his head. He'd never seen Blu like this before, and it worried him. If he wasn't careful, this whole solo hero thing was going to blow up right in his face and the only birds that were going to get hurt were his friends and family. "Blu, you shouldn't lie to your mate. A solid relationship is built on trust. All these secrets are going to poison the bond you share. I'm just warning you now; tell her where you were when you get back."

Blu grinned as if he understood, but really what Rafael said got under his feathers. What was his problem today? He seemed so uptight. Normally Blu didn't mind when Rafi gave him advice on love, but not this time. This was exactly why he didn't want to let the toucan know what trouble the flower could cause. Now that he knew, he was acting all anxious and holier-than-thou. Blu wanted to fire back by saying that you shouldn't come home late to your mate either, but he decided against it. He needed Rafael's help, so instead he just saluted the toucan. "Yes Rafael, will do. Have a good night now, okay?"

Rafael waved goodbye and called out to Blu who was beginning to lift himself into the sky: "You too Blu! Remember what I said!" However, Blu didn't answer. He wanted to get home as soon as possible, just in case Jewel somehow figured out that he wasn't there.


	8. 8 Secrets Are Harder To Hide Than Chicks

**Chapter 8: Secrets Are Harder To Hide Than Chicks**

The next day proved to be nearly as beautiful as the last. Sunny, cloudless skies; hot and humid weather; perfect time to be outside. Blu and Jewel of course, made sure to take advantage of it. "Hmm, let's see. Where are you at?" Right now, Blu crept along the dirt that made up the jungle floor near his home, pushing apart the leaves of branches in an attempt to discover the locations of his four chicks. The family was in the middle of a game of hide and seek and both Blu and Jewel had yet to find even one of their children.

Jewel peered around the side of a tall tree trunk. Seeing nothing behind it, she whipped her head back around and let out a frustrated groan. "Wow, they're really giving us a run for our money today, huh Blu?"

Blu didn't hear Jewel, however. Though he stood within earshot, he had fallen asleep in the bush he previously tore through. Jewel arched an eyebrow, concerned from the lack of response she received. Her heart started to pick up speed as she walked slowly to where she believed she'd last seen her mate. She cupped her wings over her beak and shouted: "Blu? You're supposed to be doing the seeking, not the hiding remember?" She put a wing to her ear and listened intently but still heard nothing. Her fears continued to rise and she began to consider the worst case scenario. What if Javier found their new home? Maybe he wasn't finished stalking them yet and still needed them for something, or perhaps he just wanted to torment them. Jewel decided to try yelling again, but this time panic came through in her call. "Blu, please, this isn't funny! Where are you?" Without warning, Jewel felt herself kissing the dirt. She let out a surprised yelp as she tripped over a large object and fell next to it. Jewel wiped mud from her beak and spit out a piece of grass that worked its way onto her tongue somehow. When she turned her head to see what did her in just then, her eyes widened and then relaxed. She saw Blu, sleeping like a baby in a plant. She hadn't seen him due to the giant leaves obscuring his body. Jewel shook her head, but she grinned. Gently, she nudged Blu with a wing, causing him to spring up, shocked.

He turned his head this way and that as if he didn't know where he was. When his eyes fell on Jewel's amused gaze, his feathers changed color to a deep red. He scratched the feathers behind his face awkwardly. "Um, I'm sorry Jewel." Blu peered over his shoulder at the spot he just woke up in. "I've been feeling pretty tired today and I guess the leaves were just so cozy, that I… well I fell asleep."

Jewel nodded in understanding and patted Blu's leg comfortingly. Confusion still haunted the back of her mind though. Why did Blu seem so off today? At breakfast that morning, he could barely keep his eyes open. Repeatedly, she and the kids had to shake him awake to keep him from resting his beak in his mango. Her emotions shifted to worry as another thought entered her head. "Blu, are you sick? You don't seem yourself. It's either that or those nightmares kept you awake again. If that's what's going on, you can tell me about it. I'll just listen and won't interrupt once, honest."

Blu didn't look at Jewel, which she noted was never a good sign. Typically, that meant he messed up and didn't know how to confess what he'd done to Jewel. She took a deep breath as she awaited Blu's explanation for his current state. Blu himself inhaled a large amount of air through his nostrils and then let it out. He tried his best not to let the anxiety show on his face, but he knew he was failing at it. Jewel would be so upset when she learned what he'd been doing last night. When he arrived back home at last, the sun just started to peek over the mountains on the far side of Rio. Luckily, Jewel still slept soundly on her bed when Blu stepped in the tree. Blu had been monumentally relieved, but figured that at the very most he'd get three or four hours of sleep that night, if you could even call it night by that point. He needed way more than that; however, considering all the stress he'd been through and running around he'd done. So now, Blu just couldn't keep up with his children. All he wanted to do was go back to the tree and curl up on the banana leaf he and Jewel shared. _I could lie and say I'm sick. She suggested it herself so she'd probably believe it if I went with that. _Looking in Jewel's piercing sapphire-blue eyes, though, filled with nervousness for Blu he just couldn't bring himself to dig a deeper hole of dishonesty. Plus, in the back of his mind, he remembered what Rafael had said to him earlier. He urged Blu to come clean about his whereabouts because the key to a successful relationship was trust. The more Blu lied, the more he put his love with Jewel in danger. Thus, he sighed heavily once more and began to speak. "I have something to tell you and you're not gonna like it."

Jewel narrowed her eyes and crossed her wings suspiciously. She tapped her talon, unwilling to let Blu stall anymore. "Okay then. What is it?"

Blu closed his eyes and wished he could just disappear. His whole body tensed up as if that would make him teleport to another location away from his responsibilities and Jewel's potential wrath. "Last night, while everyone was sleeping, I snuck out. I didn't come back in until about five in the morning."

Jewel's beak dropped so low, she swore that it hit the ground for the second time that afternoon. She pointed a wing at Blu accusingly. Her body practically shook; she was so angry. "Wh-wh-why? Why? Why the hell did you do that? Where the f-" Jewel paused and took a few breaths to calm herself a little. "Where did you go? Did you go to the club? Were you with someone else because I swear to God Blu if you were I am gonna-"

Blu put his wings out in front of his body to keep Jewel at bay. "No, no of course not! I would never cheat on you Jewel! How could you even think that?!"

Tears began to work their way to Jewel's eyes, but she refused to let them fall. No way was Blu going to see her weak right now. "Well what do you expect me to think? You leave the tree at night and are gone for hours, and I'm supposed to believe you were what, twiddling your wingtips that whole time?"

Blu's beak trembled. He felt like the scum of the Earth right now. Rafael had been right, and Blu almost threw everything right back in his face. Well now Blu was certainly paying the consequences. He'd hurt Jewel, the bird he loved and maybe even broke her trust in him for a long time. "You're right Jewel; I messed up. I shouldn't have left, but I did for a good reason!"

Jewel looked down at the ground and shook her head. She flicked a teardrop away from her eye where it landed on the dirt below, turning it a darker shade of brown. "What could possibly have been so important that you had to go do it in the middle of the night?"

Blu attempted to stare into Jewel's eyes, but she continued to avert her gaze from him. She couldn't stand the sight of him right now. This definitely wasn't the first fight the two macaws endured since they met, but Jewel was fed up with the lies and mistrust. Just yesterday, Blu admitted he didn't tell her the truth about the nightmare he had. That wasn't a big deal, but this sure was! "I went out searching for the flower Javier stole from us. The fact that it was still missing drove me crazy last night. I couldn't sleep; my brain just wouldn't let it go." Blu smiled the tiniest bit as he prepared to recall the next event. "It took a while, but I found their lair and I got it."

Jewel gradually tilted her head upwards, her beak open with astonishment once more. "Y-you found it?" She looked Blu up and down, her face becoming incredulous. "Where is it? If you have it, why didn't you show it to me yet?"

Now it was Blu's turn to look at the ground. He didn't know how Jewel would take this next part. His biggest concern was that she'd think that since the flower wasn't with him, he made up the whole story and he really went somewhere else. Of course if she responded that way, he could always tell her to go ask Rafael. He would corroborate what Blu said. "The thing is I gave it to Rafael last night. See, after I found it and escaped their little hideout, I didn't want to go home with it. I was too afraid that Javier would come after us again, and be even more brutal since it'd be the second time he had to take the flower from us." Blu paused to see Jewel's reaction so far. He couldn't read her face, though, she seemed totally emotionless. Blu had to admit that it freaked him out a little bit. "He agreed to keep it safe for us. I don't know where he's planning on hiding it, which is good. I'm sure if they realize it's missing, we'll be the first birds they hunt down. However, we don't know its location. We'll be useless to them. It really is the perfect plan."

Jewel took in a shaky breath. She moved her wings up and down her shivering body, but not to keep warm, to calm herself down. "Blu, if we're useless to them, what is going to stop them from killing us?"

Blu opened his beak to respond, but clamped it shut. He hadn't thought of this before. "I mean, personally, I think that wasn't the only purpose we served to their plans. I do believe they need us for something else." Blu saw that Jewel didn't look any calmer. She covered her face with her wings and began to let the tears that she held within her eyes fall freely. Blu's beak curled into a miserable frown and he ran forward to pull Jewel into a hug. Jewel continued to cry, too upset to resist Blu's well-intentioned gesture. "Please don't cry Jewel," Blu whispered desperately. "I'm sorry I left the house last night without telling you. I thought getting the flower back and giving it to Rafael was the right idea. I never meant to put anybody in danger or to upset you." Blu started to let his own tears loose, the liquid soaking into Jewel's unkempt light-blue feathers.

Eventually, Jewel released herself from Blu's grip and exhaled unevenly. She met his sad, apologetic eyes with a cold gaze, her former trademark expression. It was the one she'd walked the many paths of the jungle wearing for years after her life fell apart. The look told everyone: "Stay away from me. I don't want to be hurt anymore by jerks like you guys. I don't trust anyone; the only bird I can rely on is myself." Jewel hadn't felt like that in a year. Ever since she met Blu, she'd been nothing but happy. His genuine, sweet, adorable personality melted the hard shell Jewel built around herself for protection. However, she could sense her walls beginning to go back up. Blu was turning out to be just like everyone else in the jungle. His betrayals stung even more, though, because he was the one bird that she loved more than anyone else in the world. She bit her beak in anguish and fought back a second round of tears. "Blu, when you lie to me," she said pointing to herself for emphasis, "it hurts. It tears my heart into pieces. What if something happened to you last night, huh? You went right into enemy headquarters without telling anybody where you were going. If you'd gotten injured or even worse killed, none of us would have known where to find you. It's likely that we'd never see you again." Jewel looked around her, hoping the kids decided to pop out at that exact moment. "Our children love you so much. Just try to imagine how devastated they'd be if you went missing. I know that for some reason you think the fate of the world rests on your shoulders, but no one is telling you that you have to do all this alone."

Blu nodded silently and rubbed one wing over each of his eyes to dry them. Rafael told him basically the same thing when they met up earlier. Now that he thought about it, Jewel made a very valid point. He was lucky that he managed to make it out of the belly of the beast without so much as a missing feather. Had that not been the outcome, Blu's goose would have been cooked. There'd be nobody to rescue him. He saw now that he'd made a huge mistake. The only part of this whole situation that made it the least bit worthwhile was he'd gotten the flower. "Jewel, I know that today I weakened your faith in me. I promised you yesterday that from then on I'd be truthful with you and I broke that pact. No one is saying you have to, but if you give me just one more chance, I swear we will never have this conversation again. I'm the type of bird to learn from my failures, and believe me I don't want to repeat this action ever again."

Jewel blew out a big breath and made a tiny smile. "No bird is perfect Blu. I'll never even begin to pretend that I am incapable of doing the wrong thing. I know that you meant well last night and everything worked out, but the way you went about doing it all was where you slipped up." She turned her eyes so that she looked directly into Blu's mesmerizing, chocolate brown ones. Jewel guessed that Blu probably felt the same way about hers. After all, he'd complimented them while they rode the trolley to Luiz's garage to break the chain that held them together so long ago. "I forgive you." Jewel now grinned happily towards Blu, her attitude shifting to playful. "Next time, though, let me in on the action!" She curled her wings into fists and began punching an imaginary target. "I'm the one who tackled you when we first met remember?"

Blu laughed and rolled his eyes. Inside, his heart did joyful somersaults now that the issue between him and Jewel had been resolved. He scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed, as he recalled that memory. "It's hard to forget. I bet I still have marks on my body in some places." He smiled shyly at Jewel, who held his gaze lovingly. "Don't worry, if something goes wrong in the future, no more lone macaw stuff." He placed a wing on his heart. "From now on, I am strictly a team player."

Jewel giggled at the silly way Blu looked while he made his oath. She turned her back to him, and motioned for him to follow. "We can practice those teamwork skills right now. It's about time we got to work figuring out where our kids are hiding."

Blu chuckled and rubbed his wings together faux-sinisterly. "Yes, we have joined forces! They can't escape us now."

The Spix's macaws quickly got to work tearing through the jungle landscape. They left no stone unturned, no vine intact, and no plant unbothered. It took quite a while; however, before Carla and Bia were outed from their spot. They hid in a small space between two boulders. Bia cleverly used the gray spine of a book she'd brought along to cover the crack so their parents wouldn't see the two inside. Carla pouted as they joined the search for her remaining siblings. "I knew that wasn't going to work for long. The shade of the book is darker than the rocks' color."

Bia shrugged her shoulders and continued to march through the jungle, peeking through bushes as she went. "Well, we fooled them for a good bit. I don't think a game of hide and seek has ever lasted so long before."

Carla had to consent to this. "Yeah, it's almost like they gave up for a bit. I'm kind of glad they found us, though. Being stuck in that tiny hole for so long was starting to cramp my tailfeathers."

At the image of his sister picking at her backside, trying to reorganize her feathers into a comfortable position, Tiago couldn't help but burst out laughing. The two sisters froze and jerked their heads upward where they noticed a hole in the tree they stood in front of. Bia flew up to the entrance and pulled Tiago out and down onto the ground. "Found you!" she said excitedly.

Tiago continued to chuckle, not even upset at his spot having been discovered. He pointed at his sister, who stared crossly down at him. "Aw, your poor, little butt was itchy? Sounds like you're the real baby, not me!"

Carla stuck out her tongue at her brother and retorted: "I'd like to see how long you would have lasted in the place I hid! You'd probably be scared of how dark it was and that there'd be bugs crawling in there."

Tiago shuddered and folded his wings with a huff. He wouldn't admit it but from the smirk on Carla's face, she knew he was thinking that she'd been correct. "Whatever, insteadof focusing on me, how about we worry about finding Alicia. I can't believe that little squirt outlasted all of us."

Carla sighed and shook her head in disgust. "I'll say. Where could she possibly be?" She looked all around her, and then an idea seemed to pop into her mind. "Who wants to bet she's breaking the rules? She probably was too little to understand them and is hiding at home, a place that is clearly off limits."

Bia and Tiago nodded their heads in agreement. Tiago narrowed his eyes determinedly. "Let's go find Mom and Dad and tell them what she did. That way, she'll get disqualified and I will be declared the winner."

Carla grinned and poked Tiago teasingly, which made him shriek in protest. "On second thought, let's just keep looking."

Before they could begin their search once more, a familiar shout echoed through the jungle. The three Spix's macaw children turned their heads to see their parents approaching them, Alicia grinning atop Blu's shoulders. "Well, it seems as if we have a winner," Blu announced.

He let Alicia down gently on the dirt floor, allowing her to skip over to her older siblings. She beamed up at them proudly. "Wow I can't believe I won!" Alicia pointed over her shoulder to the place she and her parents came from. "I actually hid right above you two." She gestured to Bia and Carla, who looked at each other, shocked. Alicia giggled and explained further: " There was another, much smaller crack that I managed to squeeze into since I'm so little. When Dad sat on the rock to take a rest, he covered up the hole and I got scared. They heard me yell and pulled me out."

Carla nodded, an impressed smile on her face. She met Alicia's wing with her own in a high-five. "Well, congratulations sis. Hide and seek is clearly your game. Bia and I had no idea you were so close to us. Great job staying quiet."

Alicia blushed. Carla didn't just tell anyone she approved of something they did. She really made you work for it, so Alicia felt like she'd accomplished something big. "Thanks Carla, I had a lot of fun."

Jewel smiled at all her children, proud that even when they lost, they took it gracefully. Even Tiago just now told Alicia how excellent she'd played. "I think we all had a good time. We should probably be heading back to the tree, though. It's getting close to lunchtime, and your father needs a nap."

Blu laughed sheepishly and Alicia looked up at him, concerned. "Are you alright Daddy? I thought only really small chicks took naps."

Blu gently stroked her feathers to calm her down. "There's no need to worry honey. Daddy just didn't sleep well last night." He picked her up and put him on his shoulders, making Alicia let out a joyful squeal. "I need to be in perfect shape so we can have more fun later."

All four chicks cheered in response at the hint of additional games later. Then, they began to make their way back to the tree. Any bushes that survived being rummaged through during hide and seek were happy the family was leaving.


	9. 9 First Dates For Dummies

**Chapter 9: First Dates For Dummies**

As the sun set that evening, Blu and Jewel got the dining room table ready for dinner. Blu, now felt better than ever after his long rest that afternoon. The Spix's macaws had no special plans that evening and would be spending a quiet night in their tree. Across the way; however, a certain blue and gold macaw prepared herself for an important mission.

The main color in the sky right now, a lovely shade of violet, was dotted with clouds that floated above the city in the distance. No chance of rain, though, the only thing ahead: fun at twilight for any creature who sought it. Ana peered over her shoulder through the exit of her home. Presently, she attempted to tie her long feathers together into a ponytail using a hairtie she stole from a lost little girl a while back. In the back of her mind, Ana knew she needed to hurry up. The sun continued to dip below the horizon, and the time ticked closer to 8:00p.m. Kipo would likely not be upset if she arrived a little late, but if she took too long there was a slight chance he'd think she stood him up.

Ana pulled on the feathers she secured to make sure they were good to go. Then, she took a good, long observation of her reflection in the mirror. She smirked recalling how she'd nearly smashed it to pieces the previous day. She was certainly glad she hadn't; it did wonders for her. During the past half hour, Ana used various articles she'd "collected" over the years in her pink jewelry box to make herself appear even more irresistible than one would think possible. She used a very tiny mascara wand to make her eyelashes seem larger and applied the slightest bit of blush to her cheeks. Ana rolled her eyes. _Boys love the shy girl look. It helps them feel more confident in their own manliness._

Ana cocked her head, debating over whether or not she should add a little bit of black lipstick to her beak. She eventually decided not to because she didn't want Kipo to mistake her for a strange emo raven. _You don't want to be tasting it when you eat your food either. Every time the makeup artists put that thick crap on you, you weren't able to enjoy craft service. You know that made you miserable._

She squared her shoulders and nodded with approval. As far as Ana was concerned, she couldn't be more ready to do this. A sly cackle slipped its way through her beak before she could stop herself. The anticipation towards what she was about to do just overwhelmed her. To think after biding your time for so long and things were paying off at last, well, Ana felt she earned an evil laugh.

She spread her wings at the edge of her tree's entrance and took off. While she traveled over the jungle growth outside Rio, Ana thought about how stupid Kipo would feel when he realized Ana betrayed him. _The victory will be that much sweeter since this watch is the last thing he has from his dad to remember him. Soon, I will have my revenge on all those birds who hurt me in the past. _Ana clenched her eyes tight, fighting the rush of memories which threatened to push her right out of the air. She shook her head in hopes they'd be thrown far away from her mind. _Don't worry. Once the device is complete, you will find him. It may take a while, and I'm sure a lot of innocent birds will die first. He is a coward, but in time he'll show himself. Even if he ends up being the last one of his filthy, savage species._

_#_

Five minutes past eight, Kipo came in for a landing at the base of the Christ the Redeemer statue, wicker picnic basket in his talons. He let out a tired sigh from carrying the heavy object, and fanned himself with his massive wing. Despite the baking sunlight no longer making itself known, oppressive humidity still lingered like an invisible dome over the city. He placed his wings on his hips and turned around so he could take in the marvelous view of the landscape below.

Anyone who ever spoke wonders about the sights that awaited them from the famed landmark wasn't exaggerating. Since it was nighttime, Kipo recieved a little bonus from the buildings being illuminated. Tall, lush, green mountains frames the structures on three sides. If Kipo spun his long neck to the left, he could make out the chair lifts that transported people up to the statue from the streets below. The fourth boundary consisted of Copacabana beach and the bay beyond. Due to the time of day, the sand was deserted, the polar opposite of its usual packed to the gizzard property. Also, the water appeared black as the night sky, though, Kipo knew from seeing it many times before that it possessed a spectacular shade of crystal blue.

A proud grin spread across Kipo's oddly-shaped, tan bill. Moments like these helped him appreciate all the more how lucky he'd been to grow up in Rio. There were endless things to do and see. One was never left feeling bored or underwhelmed.

As he swiveled his body around once more to face the picnic basket, he frowned. Tapping his claw the size of a crane's against the stone steps leading up to the statue, he wondered where Ana could be. _She's probably just running late. I doubt she wakes up looking so amazing. I'll wager that it takes a good hour or two each day to get flowing, shiny feathers like hers. _Kipo rolled his eyes; however, at the unpleasant possibility that he'd have to wait a maximum of two hours to eat some food. His stomach growled, so he placed a wing over it to muffle the sound. He groaned and lifted his head up to the sky, praying that Ana would appear in eyeshot any second now.

Lucky for the spoonbill, Ana was approaching the statue. Her heart pounded with nervousness. The last time she'd been on a date with a bird occurred over a decade earlier. Since then, Javier had been the only one in her life. Therefore, it was a safe bet to say that her skills in small talk, flirtatiousness, etc. lacked.

Now only inches Rio's most iconic monument, Ana began to hover in the air. She narrowed her eyes to scan for any sight of the bird she needed to meet. After a minute, she saw him at last, standing on the tall stairs in front. Ana took one last deep breath to calm her nerves. _Okay, just chill out. You will be successful tonight. When you really think about it, this task is a hundred times easier than what Javier pulled off. For heaven's sake he could have been beaten to a pulp when he broke into the samba club that day. You're just scared because it's been a while since you played the field. Considering how desperate he seemed yesterday, I'd guess he's as uncomfortable as you are. _Ana cracked her wingtips and shook the anxiety away. Her worried gaze shifted into one of self-assuredness. _Remember all you have to gain from this heist and that motivation will carry you through any snags._ Ana then tilted her beak into a nosedive and shot towards the ground with the speed of a missile that had been fired out of an aircraft.

#

Kipo jumped a little bit into the air and his heart skyrocketed into his throat at the loud sound of something landing behind him. He closed his eyes, hoping when he turned he saw Ana and not some scary bird like the military macaw from last year. _Okay Kipo. Do not worry; last time you were caught by surprise. This time you won't be beaten by these thugs. On the count of three, turn around. _Kipo curled his wings into fists and narrowed his eyes, ready to strike. _One, two…_ "Three!" The spoonbill whirled around and his eyes widened when he saw his would be target.

Ana leaped back a pace and held her wings out in front of her in surprise. She chuckled at Kipo's strange greeting. "Hey now, is that any way to say hello? I must admit that when I was flying here, I didn't think I'd have to partake in a fistfight."

Kipo laughed sheepishly and his white head turned as pink as his neck in embarrassment. He clasped his wings behind his back, not knowing what else to do with them. "I apologize for the less than warm greeting. You scared me a little."

Ana arched an eyebrow, sizing him up. "For real? I thought the big, bad Kipo could handle even the roughest, toughest birds in Rio? What's someone like little old me gonna do?"

Kipo just shrugged his shoulders in response. His heart rate finally returned to normal, bringing relief to his face. "Why don't we start over?" He bowed respectfully toward Ana, causing her to giggle. Javier certainly never did anything like this to her. He was a bad boy to the bone. If Javier saw this display, he'd most likely laugh in Kipo's face. "Hello Ana. I am honored to have you here with me tonight."

Ana grinned, glancing toward Kipo's now outstretched wing. The golden watch caught the small rays of white moonlight and reflected them into the night. Getting it off of him would be quite difficult, but she had a plan. "It is my great pleasure Kipo. I just know I'm going to have an incredible time."

Kipo allowed Ana to grab his wing and pull him closer to her. She shifted her eyes up to his and moved a wing up and down his thin, white chest. Kipo began to breathe in and out harder from the growing anticipation in the air. A thought came to his mind and he frowned as he considered whether or not to share it. Ana smiled, oblivious to Kipo's new mental conflict. He didn't want to ruin the mood, but at the same time he wouldn't be able to relax if he didn't get it off his chest. Kipo took in a big breath and let it out as he got ready to speak. "Um Ana?"

Ana now nuzzled her beak in the space under Kipo's large bill. She shuddered with happiness as he wrapped his big wings around her, but then became concerned when Kipo pushed her away a bit. Worry crept into her facial features. _He isn't changing his mind about the date is he? I've worked so hard to get this far. I'll be damned if I let him interfere with my plans now. _Ana forced herself to calm down. She didn't yet know what Kipo even wanted. Maybe she was working herself up over nothing. "Yes?"

Kipo couldn't look at her. He feared she'd think him stupid for focusing on such things right now. _Best to just bite the bullet_, he figured. "Well, I've been thinking and I realized that you and I aren't really compatible anatomy wise." Ana's frown grew larger and she began to tap her talon on the stone, fueling Kipo's anxiety all the more. "I mean, I know this is going far into the future but we can't exactly have kids together."

Now that she realized what was bothering Kipo so much, her frown disappeared and a smile replaced it. She started to laugh, which eased Kipo's mind a little but also confused it. Ana wiped a joyful tear from her eye and shook her head. "Kipo, you don't have to worry about stuff like that yet! It's only a first date; we're just getting to know each other!" She nudged his side knowingly with her wing. "Besides," she whispered seductively, "that means we're really lucky. Not all birds get to have fun with no consequences."

Kipo's face lit up with a grin, just as Ana knew it would. Men were so predictable. He nodded his head resolutely and gestured toward the basket he brought. "You're absolutely right. I often worry way too much; it drives my friends crazy sometimes."

He sat down on one side of the basket and Ana on the other. Kipo got to work opening the flaps and pulling out various items, while Ana watched eagerly. From the wicker interior came mangoes, passion fruits, a box of blueberries, glasses, napkins, paper plates, and a stainless steel thermos. Ana whistled and licked her lips. "Wow, you sure went all out. Where'd you find all this stuff?"

Kipo placed a plate and two napkins in front of each of them. "The samba club is right next to a little section of fruit stands. I just helped myself to a few of the objects in the crates when nobody was looking."

Ana shook her head as if she disapproved. In reality, this type of behavior impressed her. She wouldn't have thought a goody two shoes like Kipo would have the guts to steal. "Naughty bird." She picked up a passion fruit and studied it, wing on her chin. "I don't know if I can eat illegally obtained goods." Ana pointed to the plate at her talons. "Did you take this from somebody else too?"

Kipo chuckled, knowing that Ana was just messing with him. He moved the picnic basket to the step just below them and scooted a bit closer to her. "No, uh, the supplies are all from the samba club. I asked Nico and Pedro if I could borrow them for out date and they said yes."

Ana blinked her eyes, caught a little off guard. "You told them?"

Misunderstanding creased Kipo's face. "I didn't think it mattered. You don't want to keep this all a secret, do you?"

Ana shook her head. It wasn't a huge problem. Her eyes shifted to the thermos next to Kipo. What Ana decided she would do is wait until Kipo was distracted, then smash it on his head until he fell unconscious. The watch could then be slid off his wing and she'd fly away without anyone knowing where she'd gone. Even if Kipo hadn't told anybody about their date, he'd still know who knocked him out. _Unless I hit him so hard he loses his memory. _"No way. It's just, I don't know, I don't want them to turn this into a joke. They never take anything seriously."

Kipo nodded his head as he unscrewed the cap of the steel container. "I get it, but it's not like they were gonna give me all this stuff without a reason. I didn't want to lie."

Ana placed a wing on Kipo's and smiled at him. "It's alright. I'm sorry if I made it out to be a big deal." She laughed and looked up to the sky. "Now who's worrying about things that don't matter." She gestured to the thermos. "So what's in that exactly?"

Kipo grinned and poured a thick, white liquid into each of their glasses. "Vanilla milkshake. I thought you might enjoy it."

"Aw, that was sweet. Thank you." She blushed, flattered at the thoughtfulness it took to come up with an idea like that. Ana could tell Kipo was really fond of her. It almost made her feel a tad guilty over using him.

Kipo picked up his glass and clinked it to Ana's. "I'm happy you didn't think it wouldn't sit right with the fruit."

Ana took a sip of her drink and Kipo did the same. She closed her eyes and savored the sweet, creamy taste. Just in case she now had a milk mustache, she wiped a wing across her beak. "This is one thing I'll eat with anything. You did well."

"Well, I'm thrilled to hear that." Kipo grabbed a giant mango and took a bite. Ana chose a passion fruit. She enjoyed the way the seeds swam amongst the soft, juicy flesh in her beak. After he swallowed his mouthful, Kipo used a napkin to wipe his beak of any stickiness that may have been left behind. "So, have you always lived in the city? I know a lot of macaws like you that migrated here from the rainforest after the loggers started causing trouble years ago."

Ana placed her fruit down on a plate and shook out her feathers. "Um, actually I didn't grow up in Brazil at all."

Kipo's eyes widened and he paused with his mango halfway to his bill. He too put his snack down in front of him as he prepared for what he could tell would be an interesting tale. "Really? Well then, where?"

Ana chuckled and rubbed her feathery crown awkwardly. "I was born and raised in Orlando, Florida. My parents likely got birdnapped from the Amazon, but if that's the case they never told me."

Kipo's beak refused to close due to the shock of this revelation. Not in a million years would he have guessed that Ana's life differed so much from the other birds he knew. He could tell that things were only going to get crazier as she continued on. "Wow. That's in America right? Did your family just try to survive in the wild there? It's probably like attempting to build a nest downtown here."

Ana crossed her legs at the talon and took another bite of passion fruit. With her mouth full, she clarified: "No, my parents and I were part of an exhibit at a theme park called Disney's Animal Kingdom." She swallowed and cleared her throat. "It's hard to explain because it's better if you see for yourself but when you first enter, you walk into this section called Oasis." Kipo nodded his head to signal that he followed so far. "That part is set up to imitate a mini rainforest. There's palm trees and other plants you'd run into right outside of Rio. The people who built the park even dug out ground to create little rivers that run through it."

Kipo smiled. It sounded interesting to him. "I bet a lot of people came to visit huh?"

Ana nodded her head. She licked her wingtips to get the juice off of them. Secretly, she hoped Kipo didn't think doing such a thing was rude. "Literally, the place got insanely crowded each day. We stayed in an enclosure with other blue and gold macaws and some scarlet ones. The employees at the park treated us really well. We got lots of food, water, and they played with us every now and then." She twirled a long feather on top of her head and grinned shyly. "Everyone would ask the workers where I was if I wasn't in full view. I'm really not bragging when I say I was all the customers' favorite bird.

Kipo tentatively reached out a wing to Ana and she allowed him to wrap her into a hug. He couldn't resist. She just looked so adorable in that moment. "I'll bet. You're a real ray of sunshine. I'm sure you brightened their day if somebody dropped an ice cream or something."

Ana laughed and kissed Kipo lightly on the cheek, making him blush. "That happened more often than you think." She snuggled deeper into his strong embrace. "I would have loved to live there all my life. We were all so happy there." Ana's voice trailed off and she released herself from Kipo's grasp. She hugged herself, upset, and turned away from Kipo so he didn't see the tears growing in her eyes.

Kipo's own eyes filled with concern. He stroked her back gently. "What happened?" he whispered.

Ana swiped violently at a teardrop but still wouldn't turn around. She could be quite stubborn when she wanted to be. "One day, these guys showed up to the park. I'll never forget them. They were tall and thin, wore black suits with white dress shirts, and had black sunglasses on their face." She sniffled shakily. "I was just sitting on a branch, minding my own business when all of a sudden, one of the employees grabbed me and tossed me in a cage."

Kipo clapped his wings over his beak in shock. He had a feeling he knew what was going to come next. Tears started welling up in his eyes as well. He needed to blink them away. "Di-did anything happen to your parents? Nobody hurt them, didn't they?"

Ana buried her head in her lap and started to cry steadily. Kipo inched closer and pulled her into his wings once more. He closed his eyes, crying softly while he let Ana get all her sadness out. _She must have been holding this in for a long time. I can't believe she's telling me, though, I'm practically a stranger. Either she's desperate or she really likes me. _After several minutes, Ana calmed down enough to take some deep breaths and wipe her red, dry eyes. "They didn't get hurt but I did. My heart was shattered into a million pieces that day. The workers handed my cage to the guys in suits and explained that they worked for the marketing section of the Discovery Card company. They said I should be proud. I was such a pretty bird that they had chosen to use me in their commercials for the foreseeable future."

Kipo scrunched his face in confusion. "I'm afraid I still don't completely understand."

Ana let out a frustrated breath. "The people from the company bought me from the theme park. Therefore, I never got to see my parents again. I don't know if they're still alive or if they ever figured out what happened to me." She shuddered, hoping to relieve some of the heavy pain that constricted her heart for so long. "I worked for them for about two years, playing the parrot who memorized the customer's credit card number and kept repeating it. The customer would call up Discover Card and ask for a new card because of me."

Kipo couldn't help but laugh at the idea of Ana being such a troublesome bird. "That's actually a pretty inventive scene. You must have done an excellent job, why don't you act anymore?"

Ana shrugged her shoulders, trying her best not to let her bitterness show. "Well, you can only run the same ad for so long before people get bored. Eventually, they needed to do something else, so their favorite parrot got let loose into the wilds of Brazil." She pointed into the distance where the city lay. "I used to live on the south side of Rio before the Blu Bird Sanctuary opened. Once I heard of a place only for birds with guaranteed protection from bad humans, I was sold. That's pretty much the entire history of my life."

Kipo nodded his head. A nervous smile was perched on his beak. "That was quite a story." He shuffled a talon back and forth along the ground. "I apologize if I made you feel like you had to share more than you wanted to. I understand if you feel offended and want to leave."

Ana shook her head firmly. She drank more of her milkshake, her throat scratchy after so much talking and sobbing. "Absolutely not. I don't feel angry at you in the least." She looked down at the little gap of stone that separated the two of them and smiled at it. "You know, I've been with guys before and none of them know about my past other than the time I worked as an actress. You're the first bird I ever told about my parents."

Kipo's beak curled to form a serious frown. "Why did you feel like you could tell me? I didn't force it out of you, did I?"

Ana bit her lip and took a step closer to Kipo. The space between them now no longer existed. Their breath intermingled and Kipo could hear Ana's heart pounding. There wasn't really a simple answer to his question. "It's difficult to explain," she whispered. "I don't know, I guess you just make me feel safe. I feel like I can tell you all my deepest secrets and you won't judge me. Everyone I have ever known other than my parents never took the time to get to know the real me. You were the first bird in a very long time who did that." As Ana spoke, she realized she wasn't lying. Every word she said was true. Her heart beat even harder now as her confusion grew. _What does this mean? Is it possible that I like him for real? What about Javier? Just yesterday I longed to go back to him._

Kipo grinned and nuzzled his long bill against Ana's small beak. He stared into her mysterious, gray eyes which appeared lost in deep, troubled conflict. The words she spoke to him needed no analysis as far as he was concerned. "Ana, I consider it an honor and privilege to be here with you tonight. I want to make you feel safe and be there for you, and for you to do the same for me. If you wish, we can make what we started last as a relationship." He cocked his head, waiting for a response. "What do you say?"

Ana didn't know what to do or how to feel. Her thoughts were jumbled together like a giant, tangled heap of yarn. When she thought back to the moment she became separated from her parents; however, everything cleared. Had Ana been asked that day what she wanted and someone understood her, the damage she faced later in her life wouldn't have happened. She neglected to mention one key part of her past to Kipo, but this wasn't the time. There would be many other opportunities in the future, for she knew what she wanted. Finally, someone bothered to ask what she wanted, and it made her like Kipo all the more. She blushed and tapped Kipo affectionately on the bill. "I'd love that."

Kipo didn't need to hear anything else. He pressed his bill to Ana's beak and she met his kiss hungrily. The two birds wrapped their wings around each other and continued to kiss, deeper and with more passion each time. Neither bird had ever felt like this before. For once, Ana let go and wasn't wound so tight. In that moment, it only mattered what Ana wanted and needed and that was love. Love from someone who loved Ana for herself and not her beauty. Someone who genuinely cared. In that moment any thoughts about Angel, revenge, and her faithfulness to Javier vanished. Thus, she also forgot about the watch and why she came on the date with Kipo in the first place.

When the two came up for air at last, Ana giggled, happier than she had ever been. She sat down on the stone steps once more and heaved her half-eaten passion fruit in her lap. "Now, tell me about your life."


	10. 10 Should've Invested In Security Cams

**Chapter 10: Should've Invested In Security Cams**

The following morning indeed lived up to the definition of a new day. Everywhere one looked, creatures in the jungle could be seen frolicking carefree through the trees. Chicks played with their parents, monkeys chased each other, even snakes slid along the dirt floor with big smiles on their faces. The entire state if Brazil under the bright, shining sun appeared to be at peace. Or maybe Ana saw it that way because she felt like that for the first time in forever.

Ana walked a little way from her home in the Blu Bird Sanctuary. Once she found a decent sized clearing, Ana laid down a pink, rubber exercise mat. She let out a satisfied sigh and got to work unpacking the small, purple backpack she'd brought along. Inside were her stereo, Latin CDs, and favorite sweatband. The reason Ana chose to work out here today was she thought the branch didn't give her enough space to be comfortable. This would do much better.

After she slid her band on her forehead and popped in a Ricky Martin disc, Ana began touching her toes to warm up her muscles. As she bent over repeatedly, inhaling and exhaling at a steady pace, Ana couldn't stop thinking about the previous night. Every few seconds, Kipo's innocent face materialized in her brain and brought a huge, awkward smile to her face.

Kipo told her all about growing up just outside the city of Rio. He'd said that as a teenager, a huge smuggling operation took place in his neighborhood and a lot of his friends got captured. He and his parents had been very lucky to avoid the various nets and cages that entrañped the helpless birds that day. When he got old enough, he moved into the city and met Nico and Pedro at their samba club. They offered him a job there as a bartender and Kipo worked there ever since.

Ana couldn't help but form a jealous frown as she started to jog in place, her talons and wings beginning to feel the strain. Kipo visited his parents every two months. They were still alive and well, while Ana would likely never see hers again. That bothered her about him. His life didn't have one flaw and hers had many. What made everything even worse was she got so caught up in her feelings last night, she forgot to steal the watch.

She shook her head and let out a huge, angry huff. _I planned everything in my head! I should have been able to take it from him easily. I can't go soft now. Nobody had ever treated me with mercy before, so I shouldn't either. _

Ana made a promise to herself. _It doesn't matter if you like Kipo, he has no use to you. If he knew who you worked for and your connection to Javier, he'd dump you within a second. _

She paused for a moment in her exercise routine and doubled over at the knees to catch her breath. Ana placed her wings behind her head and forced it left and right. "The next time I see him, that watch will be mine." She took in another huge gulp of air. "Make no mistake about that."

"Indeed," chimed in a deep, menacing voice from behind.

Ana's heart stopped in her chest for a brief moment and her breath caught. When it recovered, her pulse went into overdrive. For a few seconds, she didn't move an inch. Her eyes narrowed out of sight from her opponent as she calculated her first move. Without warning, she whipped around and struck at the intruder with a wing clenched into a tight fist. This would have subdued the bird if he hadn't caught her wing in midair, causing Ana to tremble with fright.

However, her body relaxed bit by bit when she realized who now stood in front of her, an amused smile on his razor sharp beak. Angel released her wing and crossed his own large, thin ones across his chest. Ana brushed her wing against her side, as if Angel somehow contaminated it.

The falcon's facial expression shifted into a deceitful grin to mask his impatience and he chuckled. "Well, well, if it isn't the dazzling Ana." He looked her up and down as if imagining all the things he could do to her while they were alone. Ana scoffed in disgust and took a few paces back. When Javier wasn't present and Ana was with Angel, she became intimidated by him. "Long time no see."

Ana gulped, but tried her best not to let her fear creep into her voice. The last time Angel got even the slightest bit upset with her, he slapped her so hard she had a black eye for days. The pain pounded as if someone kept pulling the veins behind her eye. "Hola Angel. What are you doing here?"

Angel scanned the area around him. "This is quite a place you've set up shop in. No humans allowed, must be awful quiet."

Ana nodded her head, still unsure what the point of this little rendezvous was. "Yes, it's excellent for spying on Blu and Jewel. The tree I live in is directly across from theirs. They have no idea why I really moved into town and what I'm after."

Angel tapped his beak with a wing and moved towards Ana, pinning her up against a tree. He passed by her stereo and turned the volume down. Ana's heart sped up once more now that she couldn't escape if Angel snapped. He laughed, but not in a happy way. "See, that's why I came. You've been putting on this charade for a long time now Ana and have produced zero results. Am I going to be receiving this watch anytime soon or will I have to interfere?"

Ana shuddered at the thought of what Angel had in mind. Knowing him, he'd wait for Kipo to leave the club and then sink his beak into his unguarded back. Kipo would bleed out in no time, leaving behind the jewelry Angel craved, in addition to a tasty meal for the predator. "I've nailed down a time when I will meet up with him. There will be a talent show at the samba club where Javier tried to steal the flower a year ago. It will be so busy I'll easily be able to swipe it there. Kipo won't even know it's gone before it'll be too late."

Angel nodded as if pondering how good or not an idea that was. Of course, Ana left out the fact that she'd seen Kipo last night and didn't do anything to obtain the watch. If Angel discovered that, he'd slaughter her right there using the piercing bark of the tree. "I sure hope that works Ana because I was much too lenient with Javier and his little strategies. I should have clamped down on him long ago. I will not make the same mistake with you."

Ana's stomach turned at the sound of Javier's name. She told herself that the kiss on her date was just part of the game, but she couldn't help thinking that she'd felt something real during it. Soon, Ana would return to the military macaw and she wondered if things would be different between them now. "You have nothing to worry about Sir. Kipo is an easy mark; I'll have no trouble with him."

Angel appeared to be satisfied but Ana lived with him long enough to know when he was barely holding in a violent outburst. He stepped back just enough to allow Ana to slip out from the tree and move to the other side of him where she could run if she had to. "I have faith in your abilities Ana. If I didn't I wouldn't have offered you the chance to work for me when I found you so long ago."

Ana looked away from the falcon, struggling to hold back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. The night she met Angel had been one of the lowest of her life. She'd been ready to give into death when he found her and rescued her. Although now, she wasn't sure if he ever cared about her. "So, did you just come to check on me? If that's the case, you'd better get going. If Blu or Jewel see you here, I'm done for."

Angel shook his head and let a smug smile spread across his face. Ana shifted her head to look at him once more, but he wouldn't meet her eyes. Now Ana felt confused. She'd never seen the falcon like this before. He always seemed so calm, as if nothing ever fell out of order. Angel; however, looked pissed and appeared to be berating himself. "Something happened at the lair."

Ana's eyes widened with terror. She put her wings over her beak in shock and her pulse started to hammer like crazy. "What? Is Javier okay? Please tell me he's alright!" _Don't cry. You can cry later if he's hurt, not in front of Angel._

Angel looked into Ana's panicked eyes and sighed. His beak curled into a disgusted frown. "He's perfectly fine, but we have a problem. I don't know how, but one of those Spix's macaws broke into our hideout two nights ago. They stole the flower right out from under my beak."

Ana's jaw dropped. She shook her head in disbelief. This wasn't possible, how could this happen? She lived right next door; she witnessed everything the family did. Suddenly, a light bulb went off in her head and she snapped her neck up to meet the falcon's furious eyes. He looked as if he was ready to tear her limb from limb. _He blames me for this, because I didn't stay up all night and missed the little sneak leave the tree._

Ana pointed an accusing wing at Angel and shouted, her voice shaking both with anger and fright. "Don't you dare try to pin this on me! Not for one second did either of them hint that they were planning anything. In fact, why don't you look in the mirror for someone to yell at? They sure got by you easily, didn't they?"

Angel growled and grabbed Ana's neck with vicious force. The macaw tried to pull him off, but her strength was no match for him. She gasped for air again and again but none would come. Any gold feathers on her body turned blue.

He threw her to the ground, where she breathed in and out rapidly to catch her breath. Ana attempted to crawl away from the falcon, but he clamped a talon down on her leg. She looked up at him, worried beyond belief of what he was thinking.

Angel leaned in and whispered, his voice dripping with venomous hatred. "That'll teach you, you stupid, worthless female. You're lucky I still need you or you wouldn't have lived another second for that disrespect. Go to the Spix's macaw household and search it top to bottom." He took hold of Ana's beak once more, preventing her to yell. "You will do as I say, or I will come find you and kill you."

Ana nodded, too scared to speak any further. Angel spread his wings, a cocky smile on his beak now that he got his way. He lifted his head back and let out a wicked cackle before flying far out of sight.

Ana shivered, but sighed with relief that she survived an encounter with Angel when he was out for blood. She took off her sweat band and hurled it on the dirt, upset that she let him treat her that way. Whereas Javier followed Angel's orders blindly, Ana didn't. She often questioned his motives and Ana knew that put her life in danger. Sometimes, she figured the only reason Angel still let her work for him was because Javier protected her.

_When he found me, I needed his help. I don't anymore, so why do I stay? _Ana shook her head, an anguished tear slipping through her eye. She found herself asking this a lot. _He doesn't appreciate anything I do for him. I'll bet he's not going to give me any of the power the device provides when it's complete. He'll probably kill me; he sure seems to like the idea of me dead._

Ana's mind shifted to Javier, but she didn't smile like she usually did. She knew that if she ever did run from Angel, Javier wouldn't follow her. His loyalty lay with the falcon, it always had. _Nothing is keeping me. I should just leave. _

Ana put her head down in her lap and started to cry even harder. No matter how much she told herself to leave, she could never do it. _He's right. I am worthless. I'm nothing but a doormat who can't take a stand. _She wiped her eyes, the mascara she put on her eyelashes that morning now all over her feathers. Their beautiful dark blue shade now an ugly black. _I'll just get him the dumb flower and Kipo's watch, then leave Brazil. He can get my revenge for me. What do I care what his plans are for these birds here? No one ever cared about me._

Her mind made up at last, Ana began to roll up her exercise mat and pack it in her backpack with her stereo and CDs. There wasn't any point in trying to do something fun now; Angel destroyed her cheerful mood. She passed a wing across her beak once more to get rid of the black stain on her face and then looked up at the sky. She'd head over to the macaws' home right away. With any luck, they wouldn't be there.

#

Unfortunately for Ana, her luck account must have been empty that day. When she touched down on the branch next to her tree's entrance, she groaned at what she saw. The Spix's macaw family was indeed home, but Ana took pleasure in noticing they appeared to be preparing to go somewhere. Quickly, she threw her belongings into her house and then flew over to see what was the deal.

Alicia cocked her head at the sound of wings flapping nearby. She turned around and gasped in happy surprise. "Mommy! Daddy! Auntie Ana is coming to visit!"

Blu looked in Alicia's direction and smiled in earnest welcome at the sight of Ana approaching. "Hello Ana! What brings you here today?"

Ana landed on the branch the whole family stood on and brushed a few feathers out of her eyes. Her expression reflected excited warmth when underneath, all she felt was nervousness and resentment. Had Blu or Jewel not meddled in Angel's plans, he wouldn't have paid her a visit. "Hi guys!" She bent down to wave at the kids. "It's so good to see you!" She gestured her head towards her own home. "I just got back and saw you all outside, so I thought I'd ask how you're all doing."

Jewel nodded with a grin on her face as well. "We're all great, thank you for asking." She pointed to Carla with a wing, who Ana realized practically glowed with excitement at the moment. "We were just about to head to the samba club for Carla's audition. She's been looking forward to it all morning."

Ana turned to Carla, remembering how she'd volunteered to try out the other day. Congratulations were in order. "That's wonderful! I know you're going to kill it Carla. Those other birds don't stand a chance."

Carla jumped up and down, her wings curled tightly. "I can't wait to see what Nico and Pedro think about my singing. I really hope they like it."

Blu patted Carla on the head. "There's nothing to worry about honey. You have an amazing voice. I just know they'll love it."

Tiago; however, didn't share his family's enthusiasm of the day's events. A grumpy frown graced his beak and his wings were crossed in a pout. Ana giggled at the boy's antics. "What's the matter Mr. Grouchy Pants? You aren't jealous of your sister aren't you?"

He shook his head and slapped his wings at his sides. "No! I just don't want to go anywhere today! I want to stay home and play video games on our TV."

Carla rolled her eyes: "Oh please! If it had been any other day, you'd be begging to go somewhere. It's only because you aren't the center of attention you're whining."

Tiago stamped his talon. "That isn't true!" He looked to the adults present for support, his eyes pleading. "She's lying!"

"Whoa, whoa!" Ana leaned down to calm Tiago. "Hey now, how about I stay home with you guys?" She re-straightened her posture and turned to Blu and Jewel for their thoughts. "Don't you guys think that'll be a good idea? You can take Carla to her audition and then either stay with her or have a fun afternoon all to yourselves."

Blu and Jewel glanced at each other, trying to gauge the other's opinion. Blu ended up being the first to speak. "Um, I don't know Ana. It's not that we don't trust you or anything; you've babysat for us many times in the past. We just don't want you to feel like you have to do it. You probably had other plans today, right?"

Ana shook her head. "Nope! Seriously you two, all I was gonna do was go in my house and watch the same episodes of The Vampire Diaries that I've already seen a million times." She reached down and gave Tiago a fist pump, which made him smile. "I sure wouldn't mind playing a round of Super Mario with the little guy." Ana turned to look at Bia and Alicia who stared at her expectantly. "Then, I can do something with your girls. We'll have a fantastic afternoon, right everyone?"

"Right!" the Spix's macaw children shouted.

Jewel chuckled and wrapped a wing around Carla's back. "Okay, if you're sure you don't mind."

"Not at all," Ana insisted.

Jewel turned to Blu, an idea forming in her head. "How about we drop off Carla at the club and then go see Rafael for the afternoon? We haven't visited his home in months. I bet he and the toucan chicks will love some company."

Blu gulped at the thought of Rafi's kids ripping off more of his fragile feathers, but in the end nodded his head in agreement. "That sounds like a good plan Jewel as long as it's okay with Carla." Blu knelt down in front of his daughter. "Do you want Mommy and Daddy to stay and watch you sing? We won't mind at all; it was the original plan."

Carla gave it a moment of thought, but then shook her head no. "I'd actually rather you and Mom go and then come back later. I think I'll do a better job the less pressure I feel from more birds watching. I promise I'll let you know if I'm picked though!"

Jewel nodded her head and clapped her wings together. "All right then, it's settled. Ana, we should be back no later than 4:00. If any of the kids get hungry while we're gone, we have plenty of mangoes in the fruit basket and Brazil nuts. They just need a quick smash to get rid of the shell."

Ana made a thumbs up sign with a wing. "Got it Jewel." She opened her mouth wide; her smile was contagious. "Alright guys! Let's head on in and allow the fun to be-e-gin!"

Tiago, Bia, and Alicia whooped and cheered. The three marched inside the tree, and Ana turned to wave goodbye to Blu, Jewel, and Carla. "Have a good time you two at the toucan's house. If he says anything about when your anniversary party will be, let me know. I'd love to make an appearance to toast such an incredible couple."

Blu made a sort of whooshing noise with his mouth. "Ugh, you know what Jewel, she has a good idea. While we're there, let's make a point to tell Rafi what we want for the celebration and how many guests will be coming. The last thing he needs is to be blindsided last minute with all the other stuff he has to worry about."

Jewel frowned to reflect the seriousness of the situation. "Okay, yeah, we'll do that for sure." She reached out to shake Ana's wing and Ana accepted the gesture. "Thank you so much again for doing this. I don't think I'll ever be able to stress enough what a dream neighbor you are. You are one of the kindest, most generous birds I have ever met."

Ana blushed at the compliment, even though those were the last words anyone who knew her true personality would use to describe it. "You're very welcome." She then shifted her attention to Carla. "Good luck! You'll do just fine; I know it."

Carla nodded her head, continuing to shake with anticipation. "Thanks Auntie Ana." She looked up at her parents and tugged on her mother's wing. "Let's go, let's go, let's go! The sooner we get there, the faster I'll be able to wow everybody!"

The adult macaws laughed at the eager child, but at last fulfilled her wishes to leave. The three Spix's macaws lifted off into the sky, headed for the downtown district of Rio. "Bye Ana!," Blu called. "Be back later!"

Ana cupped her beak in her wings to amplify her voice. "Goodbye! Have fun!" When the three birds were out of sight; however, her innocent, helpful face turned manipulative and sneaky. She laughed quietly so that the remaining chicks wouldn't hear.

_I can't believe it was that simple! They pretty much handed me access to their home on a silver platter._ She smirked, recalling how Angel insulted her resourcefulness earlier. _How's that for my "little strategies," huh? If I hadn't taken my time to get close to the Spix's macaws, I'd have had to break into their home. Things would have gotten messy. Instead, this will be easy as pie._

Ana felt more confident than ever as she strode into Blu and Jewel's humble abode, a welcome guest and friend. Before the two proud parents returned, the flower would once again be in the grasp of the villains. _And I'll be one step closer to being free of Angel forever._


	11. 11 Alright Bird, Show Us What You Got!

**Author's Notes**

**Hello Everyone! It is showtime! Whenever I watched Rio 2, the auditions for "Amazon Untamed" were without a doubt my favorite parts of the movie. So, as a little tribute to that scene I've included some of the characters from it along with their respective acts. When you read, you may notice a slight change especially if you're really into birds. I am aware that the bird who got their legs tangled isn't a king vulture but I couldn't figure out what he was so I switched that up. I hope you guys don't mind! Researching what everyone was took a lot of work but I aim to give you all the best story possible. Now, let's get this show on the road!**

**Chapter 11: Alright Bird, Show Us What You Got!**

The trio of Spix's macaws glided through the air, the wind ruffling their feathers. It wouldn't be long before they reached the local samba club for birds, or as Nico liked to call it, "Paradise." The surrounding streets, Blu noted, contained little activity, at least when it came to birds. Blu swerved his neck in all directions and saw that they were the only three as far as the eye could see.

Jewel realized this too, and her expression became puzzled. The scenery looked fabulous as always. The sun shone brightly with not a cloud in the sky. Light breeze blew which made the hot, humid weather bearable. The day couldn't be any better, so why wasn't anyone out enjoying it? She turned to Blu, while flapping her wings at the same time so she stayed airborne. "Pretty quiet for an early afternoon, huh Blu?" Jewel faced forward once more so she didn't miss any oncoming obstacles. The last thing she needed was a face full of concrete. "Maybe there's more animals trying out for this show than I thought."

Carla's happy smile transformed into a worried frown at this notion. She froze in one place but hovered in the air. Her parents stopped as well and turned around to see what could be bothering her. Blu's face reflected caring concern. "Hey sweetie, what's wrong? When we left you were all excited."

The oldest of Blu and Jewel's chicks darted her eyes as if she tried to uncover the location of somebody watching her. "Well, it's just that more birds means more competition." She clicked her talons together. Doing it with her wings would have been more comfortable, but it would also mean a steep drop to the road below. "I know this sounds babyish and all but I might be having second thoughts."

Jewel made a sort of pitiful sigh and swooped in as close as she could to her daughter without their wings colliding. She did the best calming smile she could manage under short notice and hoped the message came through. "Carla, you'll do fine. You can't back out now." She chuckled naughtily. "What would Tiago say?"

Carla groaned and rolled her eyes, but Jewel could tell her mood was beginning to turn around. Blu decided to cheer her up too. "Besides, you practiced for the last two days nonstop! You don't want all that time and effort to go to waste now do you?"

She shook her head and blushed a little, ashamed at having been ready to throw in the towel. She shouldn't be afraid of those birds. In fact, they were the ones who needed to watch out! With Carla Gunderson on her way, their chances of a coveted spot were slim to none. "Thanks Mom and Dad. I'm ready to go now!" She kicked at the air with her talon. "Let's sing."

"That's the spirit honey," Blu exclaimed. He motioned with his head in the direction they'd been flying in before Carla's little crisis of confidence. "We'd better get going. We don't want to be late. If we are, the rest of the contestants won't even matter." Jewel and Carla stated their agreement and began to fly once more behind Blu.

#

When Blu touched down in front of the club's entrance, his companions not far behind, he whistled his approval at the setup. The harpy eagle that served the duty of bouncer on an ordinary business day was nowhere to be seen. In his place lay a sign made out of chalkboard that one often finds outside of a restaurant with the menu items listed on it. Instead if that; however, the sign read: "Auditions Today! All Types Of Acts Welcome!"

Jewel admired the big, colorful bubble letters. She guessed that Nico had been responsible for them. Decorating really wasn't Pedro's thing. If anyone asked for her opinion, she'd have said Pedro appointed himself as the judge of who would be in the show.

The sign didn't catch Carla's attention so much as the many different colored streamers that hung from the entryway. The paper came in all kinds of shapes and sizes, some thin, some thick, and some with crazy cut designs. "They really outdid themselves. This show is gonna be a big deal."

Blu nodded and looked down at his daughter. Right now, she seemed engrossed in twiddling her wingtips. He could tell something still bothered her, so he knelt down in front of Carla. "Hey, still feeling nervous?"

Carla nodded her head and continued to fuss with her feathers. "A little bit yeah."

Jewel stroked her daughter's back in the hopes it would soothe her. "Are you sure you don't want us to stay? You might feel better if you knew you had birds rooting for you in the audience."

Carla weighed the options in her mind for a few seconds before shaking her head at last. "No, you guys can go have fun with Uncle Rafael." She smiled to let her parents know she'd be okay. "It's normal to be anxious before something like this. I think it's better than going in feeling like you have it in the bag. Nobody likes a bragger."

Blu laughed, taken aback by his daughter's wise observation. "Indeed. Nico and Pedro would probably be more inclined to choose you over someone else who did as well as you if you have a good attitude like that."

Jewel moved her wings up and down a couple times to warm up her muscles before she and Blu took off once more. She winked at Carla. "Just do your best darling. The main thing is to have a fun time. It's not every day you get a chance like this."

Carla nodded and waved goodbye to her parents for the last time. Then, she turned around and took in one big breath. She tried to tell herself that her legs only wobbled with excitement. _You got this Carla. Just go in, what's the worst that could happen? _Carla began to move, talon by shaky talon, through the entrance to the club.

#

At first, Carla thought she'd arrived too early. The short hall that ran from the door to the main portion of the building contained only darkness and scattered crates. She almost tripped on a plank of wood but caught herself. The near spill only served to worsen her shot nerves, however. Carla looked around as she continued her trek of two feet to the next section of the structure. She couldn't help but feel someone watched her and waited to leap out of one of the black corners. Carla gulped and stamped her talon on the concrete. _Chill out, nobody's even here. I bet Mom and Dad didn't get the time right. _

When Carla mustered up enough courage to walk into the part of the club that housed the large dance floor at last, her jaw dropped and blood pressure skyrocketed. How hadn't she heard everyone talking as she came in? Was she that deep in her own little world? Barely any space remained in the spacious, open-air chamber. Birds and other species of animals packed the area, chattering amongst themselves. Carla couldn't stop turning her head to look in different directions at all the activity.

A group of brown-furred capybaras practiced their dance moves on the left side near the judges' table. Her eyes popped just the tiniest bit when she realized they appeared to be trying to stand atop one another in a sort of pyramid formation. _This competition is gonna be tough. All I'm doing is singing by myself and they're over there doing acrobatics like its cheerleading camp!_

On the other side of the club by the bar, a brown and white feathered hoatzin beatboxed. Carla felt ashamed for averting her eyes at the sight of his face, which thanks to his demonic looking red eye, was pretty ugly. Pedro who sat at one of the two chairs at the white-cloth covered folding table shouted at a massive group of mosquitoes to get away from the bottles of liquor at the bar. "No free drinks here bloodsuckers! If you're only here to mooch, buzz off!"

Carla giggled and walked over to say hello to the cardinal and canary sitting next to him. She waved and formed a polite smile on her beak. "Hey guys, how are you doing?"

Pedro's annoyed face from the mosquitoes' shennanigans transformed into a welcoming grin at the sight of his best female friend. He sprung up from his chair and flew over to Carla to slap her small blue wing a high-five. "Lil' Carly! What's shakin' girl?"

Nico followed the cardinal and hovered in the air beside him. He readjusted the silver bottlecap on his head and made the suave smile he was famous for. "Glad you made it baby bird." He pointed to the mass of animals waiting for the auditions to begin. "We're gettin' started in just a couple minutes. In the meantime…" Nico flew back to the table he'd be sitting at that afternoon and grabbed a piece of paper from on top of it. When he returned to Carla, he gave it to her and then explained: "This is a list of who will be performing when. We decided the order in terms of who signed up from first to last." He cringed a bit, knowing Carla might not like this news. "I'm sorry to say but you were the last."

Carla's happy look drooped as her eyes scanned the small type on the paper. He name indeed lay at the bottom of the long collection of names. She shrugged her shoulders and stuck the paper under her wings. "Oh well, there's nothing I can do but make the best of the situation." Her sly attitude returned. "At least I'll get to scope out the others taking the stage. You know, see who's a threat and who's not."

Pedro laughed and fist pumped Carla's wing. "That's a smart player, dawg. Love that style." He motioned with his head back to the table. "We'd better get back before people wonder why the hell they're waiting so long. You have a good time now though, aight?"

Carla nodded and waved as the cardinal and canary took their places once more. She sighed and walked to the back of the club where a sloth slept atop a cardboard box. Carla arched a curious eyebrow at the creature. Did she even plan to try out or was she just using the club as a place to nap? There had to be a rule against loitering here somewhere. Carla leaned in closer, wondering if she should wake the slumbering animal when she noticed the sloth wore earbuds. Her eyes widened a little at the next realization that the sloth mumbled to herself. _I'd better leave her alone. This must be how she practices at home. A little bit unconventional, but I guess I shouldn't judge before I see how she does. _

The last bird that stood out among the crowd to Carla as she took a rest on one of the leather-topped barstools was a red and black headed king vulture. She'd never seen a bird like him before. He sat at the stool two to the right of Carla and she could hear her heart start to pound, but for a different reason than before. The tall, white bellied bird listened through headphones and sang along quietly to a song on an MP3 player much like the sloth did. To Carla, he looked like a teenager. Her eyes got a sort of dreamy look to them and she placed her head down on the wooden bartop. Letting out a sigh, she began to daydream that she and he were the same age. _It's too bad. _She traced the swirled grain on the tabletop with her wing. _He's hot. I'd love to go up to him and say something funny. He'd probably just laugh at me, though, I'm only a kid for goodness sake._

Carla's fantasies; however, got interrupted by a loud squawk from the judges' table. She jerked her head up and did what many other of the contestants did: turned their necks in the direction of the noise. Pedro stood on the surface of his station and surveyed those who showed up. He clapped his wings a few times to draw anyone's attention he hadn't the first time to him. "Attention y'all! Me and my boy Nico are gonna be gettin' this show on the roll in just a few seconds." He held up the paper that stated which acts would be performing when. Some birds took out the papers in their possession on instinct. "Y'all have your directions so you know when to go. The rest of you sit tight and just enjoy the show." Carla let out a bored breath and slumped in the barstool even further. This would take a while.

#

As each contestant did their thing; however, Carla's spirits lifted little by little. Most of the other animals came up with some pretty entertaining ideas. Two marmosets did a magic routine complete with a sawing in half of one of them that earned a huge round of applause. The capybaras' acrobatic routine set to an old hip-hop beat ended up being just as cool as Carla expected. The group came out shaking their behinds to the rhythm and then flipped with no effort on top of one another. Carla predicted they were a shoe in for the final show.

Of course as expected, some animals stuck out on the opposite end of the spectrum as well. The sloth Carla witnessed sleeping before the auditions began did just that for ten whole minutes on the dance floor. Pedro, growing with impatience, screamed at her to begin anytime she was ready. At last, the sloth awoke to rap only a fifteen second song before falling asleep once again. Carla thought it probably a good thing Pedro's feathers were already red so it didn't look too embarrassing when he blew his top at the sloth. At least, Carla knew for sure one animal who wouldn't make the cut.

It turned out that the king vulture that intrigued Carla would perform right before her. Her heart thudded in her chest. _This is your chance girl. If you want to talk to him, now's the time to do it. _As he got up from the bar and began to approach the stage, Carla gathered all the courage she had and tapped him on the shoulder. Startled, he whipped his yellow neck to see who touched him. Seeing no one, he bent down a little and gave the macaw chick a confused stare. Carla shuffled a talon and hoped she wasn't blushing. "Just wanted to wish you good luck. You looked like you were practicing pretty hard."

The vulture smiled and held out a large white wing for Carla to shake. "Why thank you. That's very kind; I wish you the same."

Carla grinned and accepted his wing. She wondered if the vulture now contained any new confidence now that he knew he had a fan in the audience. Carla sat, mesmerized by the bird as he started doing a dance he invented himself to "Low," one of her favorite rap songs. Unfortunately for Carla's crush, when he went to spin down to the floor, his legs tangled and he fell on his face with a loud thud. Carla put her wings up to her beak to smother a shocked gasp, even though the reactions of many others in the samba club were the same.

Nico tapped his pen against the clipboard he'd been using to write down who passed the test and who didn't. He looked mighty conflicted at the decision he and Pedro would have to make. The vulture's moves had been impressive; he couldn't deny that. A slip up was a slip up though, and other animals trying out made them too. He whispered into Pedro's ear and the audience gathered held their breath as they waited for a reaction from the two judges. Carla's heart pounded at an unimaginably fast speed.

After a minute or two; however, Pedro smiled and nodded his stubby head. The vulture, now back up on his own two talons, took this as a sign that everything would be fine. So did the other contestants who saw him out of the spotlight with the sound of applause which filled the room. He wiped his forehead, relieved, as he returned to his former place at the bar. He shifted his glance to his left where Carla beamed at him. The vulture laughed and gave her a high five. "Thanks little bird. If it wasn't for you sending your support my way, I think I'd be a goner right now."

Now Carla blushed a bright red, despite how much she told her body not to. "You're welcome. You did awesome the whole time; there was no way you weren't going to make it in."

Pedro called out for Carla to come to the floor at that moment and both birds turned to look in his direction. The vulture shifted his attention back to the macaw once more and smiled. "Your turn now. Go on and kill it."

Carla giggled, knowing she looked like a lovesick idiot. She just hoped he didn't see her that way deep down. "Thanks." She hopped off the barstool and landed on the club's concrete floor. Her pulse continued to race as she took baby steps to the stage. Carla peered at the birds andother animals out of the corner of her eye who watched her every move. There would be no denying it any longer, the time had come.

When she arrived at the dance floor at last, she took her designated place at the microphone. Her stomach felt like a volcano bubbing with restless lava inside it. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Everyone waited for her to announce her act, but she couldn't bring herself to open her beak. Animals began to whisper, wondering what was going on and that only exacerbated Carla's stage fright. _I'm gonna blow it. I should have stuck to singing in my room; it's what I'm good at. _

Carla opened an eye just the tiniest bit and saw the vulture she'd become friends with give her a thumbs-up with his wing. At that moment, her fears subsided. He believed in her and would congratulate her no matter how good or bad she did. Nobody else's opinion mattered. Well, except for the judges' of course. Carla's voice cracked and she cringed the tiniest amount as she began to speak. "H-h-hi everyone. M-my name is Carla a-and I will be singing one of my favorite songs. It was sung originally by a human called Kelly Clarkson and the song is titled "Since U Been Gone." I really, really hope you all like it."

Everyone in the club grew silent so Carla wouldn't be disturbed throughout her performance. The white egret in charge of the DJ booth for the show today placed Carla's desired record on the player and within seconds, the opening drumbeat encompassed the area. Carla took in one last breath and then started to sing, tapping a talon along to the rhythm.

_Here's the thing, we started out friends,_

_It was cool but it was all prete-end,_

_Yeah, yeah. Since you been gone._

Carla scanned the crowd for their reaction thus far. They appeared to be liking everything she'd done. Some even nodded their heads to the beat. She smiled, empowered even further now to continue on.

_You dedicated; you took the time._

_Wasn't long til I called you mi-ine._

_Yeah, yeah. Since you been gone._

The chorus now approaching fast and furious, Carla knew it was time to shake things up a bit. She took the microphone out of its stand and walked right to the very front of the stage.

_How come I'd never hear you say, I just wanna be with you?_

_Guess you never felt that way…_

Alright this was it! The time to go all out. Carla started jumping up and down, shaking her whole body, and getting really into the groove.

_But since you been gone! _

_I can breathe for the first time!_

_I'm so movin' on, yeah, yeah!_

_Thanks to you, now I get, what I want!_

_Since you been gone._

Carla continued to belt out the rest of the tune, the creatures in the audience hanging on to her every word. Pedro and Nico's jaws dropped in amazement. Without a doubt, the most passion they'd seen the whole afternoon came from Carla. Anyone in the room could tell she really wanted this thing.

When she finished her performance, Carla stood still and waved her feathers back from her face. She returned the microphone to its rightful location on the stand and then took a step back. Nobody said anything at first, which made Carla begin to worry. Her proud grin turned upside down. She fought back the growing urge to cry. _They didn't like it. I don't believe it. Maybe I imagined them bopping along to the music. _

Suddenly; however, the entire room erupted in thunderous applause. Some birds by the bar even whistled their approval. Carla's whole face lit up with happiness. She turned to face Pedro and Nico who clapped with impressed, yet subdued smiles on their faces. Carla didn't take it personally; she knew that as a judge you needed to give more or less the same reaction to everyone you thought did well. The one bird whose feedback she really wanted, though, was the vulture's. Carla peered at the various faces in the club, but couldn't find him. Finally, her gaze met his. He'd moved to the top of a wooden crate, to get a better look perhaps. A huge smile on his face, he winked at Carla while continuing to slap his wings together.

Carla's light blue body changed into a red that rivaled Pedro's complexion. A massive grin threatened to split her face as she made her way off the stage. She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt this audition had been a success, but she also knew something else. _This is the best day of my life. _

**The lyrics to "Since U Been Gone" in no way shape or form are owned by me or were invented by me. This awesome song was written by Max Martin and Dr. Luke, two geniuses who also wrote many of my favorite Taylor Swift and Katy Perry songs. If for some reason you two guys see my story, please don't shut down my account! I am a huge fan of your work and hope you don't mind :)**


	12. 12 Ana Starts To See The Light

**Chapter 12: Ana Starts To See The Light**

The next five days before the show passed in the blink of an eye for most birds. Over the course of that time, a small storm swept through the city of Rio, reminding everyone of the tropical climate they lived in despite the warm weather. Fierce winds and torrential downpours battered the buildings and the humans who lived in them. Roads closed and even some trees cracked and fell over. Birds and other animals in the jungle feared the worst. However, after a couple hours all traces of the pesky rain vanished. The sun came out once more and dried up the region. Now, everyone looked forward to the talent show to celebrate the return of the nice weather. Everyone but one bird that is.

Ana cowered in her tree, her heart pounding nonstop since Blu and Jewel arrived back at their home five days ago. After making the children lunch the day she volunteered to babysit, she told them they could play outside and she'd keep an eye on them. Instead, she used the time to conduct a thorough search of the Spix's macaws' tree. Once or twice, Tiago or Alicia popped in. The boy forgot his soccer ball, Alicia wanted to draw a pretty flower she found and needed her art supplies, etc. Each time they almost busted her, though, Ana covered by saying she misplaced the tube of ruby red lipstick she brought along.

Ana left no stone unturned. She removed the fruit from the wicker baskets, checked behind and under the television, lifted up each one of their palm leaf beds, and even went through all the children's various belongings. Ana began to grow frustrated. The flower didn't appear to be anywhere. She thought about where she hid items in her own home, and then a lightbulb went off in her head. Ana hurried to the back of the tree and stuck her wing in every crevice of bark big enough to hide a flower. With each insert; however, her desperation only grew. After a half hour, the children got bored of being in the yard and came in. Ana's window of opportunity sealed shut.

Now, the full force of her failure hit her. The date of the talent show now here, her job was to snatch the watch Kipo wore once and for all. She couldn't bring herself to get even the slightest bit ready to meet him at the samba club, though. Inside, dark corners abounded by the dozen. What if Angel hid inside, waiting to get his razor sharp talons on her throat? He'd threatened that blood would spill if she didn't find the flower in Blu and Jewel's home and guess what, she didn't. _He must be steaming mad. I'm screwed. I am so, so, screwed!_

Ana closed her eyes as tight as possible to fight back the tears that commanded her to let them loose. She wouldn't give in. She'd suffered worse than this in the past but if she really admitted it to herself, this was pretty bad. Ana hadn't stepped one inch outside of the sight of the Spix's macaw family since that dreadful afternoon. She knew how cautious Angel could be. He'd never risk revealing himself or his connection to Ana, even if he only met up with her to deal out a punishment. She could stay here no longer, though. The mission required her to leave the safety of her house.

_I don't want to fly with Blu and Jewel's bratty kids tonight. I'm way too on edge; they'd definitely suspect something was up. _Ana rocked back and forth on her behind, her head in her wings as she attempted to come up with a smart plan to get to the club. _I guess I'm just gonna have to fly high above the trees and as fast as my wings can go. With any luck, the outside of the building will be crawling with birds going to see the show. _Ana knew the layout of the structure from her previous time meeting the friends of the Spix's macaws. The scary part of the trip: the hall that ran from the door to the main room. _It's poorly lit and there are lots of big objects a psycho can hide behind. How can I get through it without risking my life?_

All of a sudden, the answer became clear. Ana jerked her head up and grinned, impressed with her scheming skills. The harpy eagle, the club's bouncer, would serve as her ticket in. She could ask him to escort her inside, saying the dark entryway frightened her and being a female, well, things happen. She cackled to herself and walked over to her mirror to start her long, complicated beauty routine. _He's a sweet guy; he'll fall for it. The damsel in distress act is always a safe bet. _Ana wiped a stray tear left over from her panic minutes earlier. Good thing she hadn't yet applied any mascara. That would have been a disaster.

Ana went to work using a violet-handled hairbrush with soft bristles to smooth out her feathery crown. _The cuter I look, the better. _She eyed the numerous products that lined the stump in front of her mirror. Tubes of lipstick, blush cushions, vials of claw polish, Ana could open her own beauty salon if she wished. Ana unscrewed the top of a mascara wand and dipped it into the black, cakey powder. Expertly, she dabbed it on her eyelashes and fluttered them a few times when she finished. _The eye flirting is vital to looking like you need help. As is the pout. _

Ana chose a neon green lipstick and spread a layer or two across her beak. When she stuck out the lower portion of her beak, it appeared much more full than usual. A naughty gleam shone in her eyes. She knew the color would draw the eagle's attention away from his post right away and it gave the sad-girl look she was going for. After using a rose-colored blush pad to give her cheeks some pop just for fun, Ana felt prepared to head to the club. The second she got there, she would begin looking for Kipo. _Shouldn't take long to find him, his head rises a whole foot above everyone else in the crowd. _

She couldn't help but feel the tiniest bit guilty when she thought about Kipo's innocent, carefree face. Ana wrapped her wings around herself and let out a tortured sigh. She liked him, she really did. Why of all the birds in Rio did such a nice guy like him have to be her target? Couldn't it have been a jerk whose eyes she'd be eager to pull the wool over?

Ana shook her head, erasing all negative thoughts as best she could. _It's only a watch. Birds lose things all the time. _She smiled as she approached the exit of her tree. Looking across the way, she noticed that Blu and Jewel's home lay empty. The family left a short while ago to get there early since Carla would be in the show and needed to get ready backstage. That worked out in Ana's favor due to her having to mope for a bit and sort out her thoughts. _If you really do go through with this bold plan of yours to leave Angel's gang and Brazil, you can ask Kipo to come with you. You can get him a new watch, one that's not really old, like the one he has right now. _

Ana stared down at the vegetation on the ground, trying her best not to let her imagination run wild but she couldn't resist. She saw her and Kipo racing each other around the many countries of South America. They'd visit all the places she traveled to during her time in acting. Buenos Aires, Bogota, even Miami. Kipo spent his whole life within a ten mile radius; he needed to see the world and she could be his tour guide. When one really analyzed it, it seemed like the perfect plan.

She nodded her head and took off from her wooden perch. Like a rocket, she soared upwards until a sizable distance existed between her body and the jungle canopy below. With all this open air around her, Angel wouldn't be able to sneak up on her. She'd see his large figure a mile away. As she made her way in the direction of Rio's downtown district, she kept telling herself to focus on the future, not the task at hand. For her, it was the only thing that would keep her nerves calm. _Just get it over with. There's got to be a way to slide that watch right off his wing and pocket it. Then, give it to Angel on your way back and be done with that evil falcon for good. _

Ana smiled at that last bit. Finally, she'd be free of being under anyone's thumb. From the park employees, to the people from Discovery Card, to Angel, someone always controlled her life. However, she would let them no longer. After tonight, Ana would be a free bird. Even if it meant she'd be free only in death.

#

When Ana first caught sight of the unassuming abandoned building that served as the samba club, she hovered in the air for a few moments so she could scope out the scene. Squinting her eyes, which looked extra voluminous thanks to her makeup, she realized that nobody but the eagle walked out front. Her ears picked up a muffled noise that seemed to be coming from inside. When Ana focused all her senses on deciphering what she heard, she recognized it to be applause. Frustration began to brew within her. _Damn it! I took too long getting ready and now the show has already started. Good thing I came up with this plan, otherwise I'd be strolling in all alone. _

Ana decided not to waste any more time. She didn't know how much of the event already occurred. If she didn't start hurrying, she'd miss her window of opportunity to perform the heist while Kipo was distracted. Ana turned her body into a nosedive and glided in one swift motion onto the cracked pavement below. She dusted herself off and then made eye contact with the harpy eagle, who arched a suspicious eyebrow at her.

Ana looked him up and down. He groomed himself for the special evening, she noted. On an average day, the bird wore nothing and his feathers stuck out in all directions. Ana wondered if he thought that made him appear more intimidating so no youngsters tried to sneak into the building. Today, though, the eagle smoothed out his top feathers with some sort of gel-like substance. Ana hoped he used a hair product and not something disgusting like mud. _You never know with guys. They're clueless when it comes to fashion. _In addition, he attached a tiny black bowtie to his chest. Ana gave him an A for effort. At least he made an attempt to clean himself up. Of course, she would have advised him to wear a tie with a brighter color. Black blended in way too much with his feathers.

The eagle seemed to realize who Ana was after a couple beats and his alert expression softened into a much more welcoming one. He nodded with a kind smile in Ana's direction. "Hello Miss, I see you were impressed enough with the little establishment to return." He gestured towards the entrance with a wing before folding it behind his back once more. "A little late to the party I see. No matter, there are still some seats left." He took a step back to allow Ana room to walk in. "Enjoy yourself!"

Ana nodded her head, but didn't move a muscle. She looked down to the ground and shuffled a talon from side to side. The look on her beak had nervous written all over it. This didn't go unnoticed by the harpy eagle whose eyes widened with worry. "Is everything alright?" he asked.

Ana shook her head and let her beak quiver at a fast pace. Her eyes darted from side to side, and the eagle moved closer to comfort her. Ana blew out a breath sideways so she didn't breathe hot air in his face and then told him her problem. "Um, I hope you don't mind me asking, but I wanted to know if you'd be willing to walk me inside to the main area." Ana pointed to the door, which made the eagle turn his head for a second to follow her movement. When he faced her once more, she bit the lower half of her beak and continued: "I don't like to be alone in dark places."

Understanding washed over the eagles's face and he nodded resolutely. His eyes set with determination, he took Ana's shaking wing in his big, strong one and started to escort her in. "Have no fear Miss. I won't even let anyone come within three feet of you."

Ana went for a shy smile; although, she really felt like making a big, satisfied grin. "Thank you Sir," she said as they crossed through the pitch-black hall. "This means a lot; you are a true gentleman."

The eagle blushed and let go of Ana's wing as they stepped into the loud, crowded interior of the dance area. "I appreciate that very much. You are a wonderful bird Miss; I can tell. I see a lot of birds come and go from this joint so believe me when I say I know you have a big heart inside you. I'd protect you no matter what."

Touched, Ana gave a him a big hug. She squeezed the eagle tight before letting him go back to his post. He gave her a friendly wave, a gesture she returned before turning around once more. As she stood alone at the edge between the lights of the club and the eerie darkness of the hall, Ana struggled to hold back the shameful tears that lay just behind her eyelids. _This is quite poetic. Where I stand now is exactly where my heart and soul lie at the moment. I'm torn between two paths. I could either continue to carry out the plans of a great evil or switch over to the good side, where friends and possible love abound._

All she'd done to anyone since she'd met them a year ago was lie to them and use them. A big heart is the last thing she owned. Now, Ana felt even more terrible about the task given to her. She rubbed her eyes, trying her hardest not to smudge the mascara she spent so long applying. Ana knew she kept telling herself this would all be over soon, but this one hour felt like an eternity. She sighed and shook her head, exhausted with all this inner conflict. _This will be the last time you ever need to be dishonest with good birds. I see now that I was blinded by revenge all these years. I got so caught up in how I got hurt by one bird that I didn't take the time to see how much others really do care for me. _

Ana smiled when she thought about everyone she'd come to know. Blu, Jewel, their friends, their kids, and Kipo were truly wonderful birds. They'd have her back. She just needed to start having theirs after tonight.

#

As Ana crept along towards the bar for a nice, cold drink, she surveyed the crowd around her. There weren't many creatures she recognized straightaway. Then again, she spent the vast majority of her time hiding out in an abandoned building with the same three disturbed birds. It wasn't like she made new friends very often. Ana took a seat at one of the red leather cushioned bar stools and held up a wing to signal the bartender. She hadn't expected Kipo to be working tonight, so her indifferent expression didn't change when a scarlet macaw approached her.

The macaw appeared okay enough, but something bothered Ana about the way he smiled at her. Rather than polite, it came off as creepy, like he was checking her out. Ana couldn't stand birds like him, but she needed a drink. Now that the storm left the region, the rainforest felt like a desert, such little moisture hung in the air. The bartender picked up a glass underneath the bartop and started to polish it with a white and red checkered cloth. "What'll it be pretty bird?"

Ana fought her mind telling her to either walk away or tell him off. Instead, she took a silent, calming breath and spoke evenly: "I'll have a lemonade please, no sugar."

He chuckled and placed the items in his wings down so he could pick up a few lemons from the fruit basket behind him. "Watching our figure are we?"

Ana closed her eyes and counted to ten in her head. Could this guy be any more of a classic jerk? _I'll bet he wouldn't be saying crap like that if I looked like Javier. _Ana didn't even bother to dignify the macaw with a response. Instead, she waited for him to finish making her lemonade and then marched away before he could insult her further.

She sipped the bright yellow liquid as she curved through the various chairs throughout the room. Ana's beak puckered as the very tart juice slid down her throat. It was just how she liked it, though. Ana hated fake sweetness of any sort. She was a no nonsense type of bird, precisely why she planned to draw the line with Angel. Ana shifted her eyes upward to the bird taking the stage right now. From the looks of his red and black head and white body he seemed to be a king vulture. She stood in the same spot for a second, hoping she didn't block anybody's view, and watched him shake his tail feathers to a rap song she didn't recall hearing before. _It probably came out when we were all searching the rainforest for that dumb flower. _Ana rolled her eyes at the thought. _I can't believe after all this time we're still doing just that. _

Just in case someone shouted at her for standing in the way, Ana maneuvered her body, careful not to spill her drink, to the far left wall of the club. There, she could stand alone and watch the show while she searched for Kipo. Paper lanterns of all different colors hung from metal hooks on the ceiling. Ana gulped down some more of her lemonade as she noticed the pretty orange flowers on the front of the stage. For a second, her heart sped up thinking maybe a certain pink flower had been used for decoration, but that hope got crushed after she stretched her neck for a better view of the side of the stage out of eyeshot and saw no such thing.

However, the effort she'd taken to move her neck muscles didn't go to waste. Sitting on the opposite end of the club watching the vulture intently, was Kipo. Ana's pulse quickened and the wing holding her glass started to tremble. She felt anxious because of what she needed to accomplish tonight and just because she wanted to see him.

With an adorable smile on her beak, she stopped leaning on the wall and began to walk in his direction. On the way, she drank the last bit of her beverage and tossed the cup in a plastic trash bin by the bar. Then, she made a left turn towards the stage and her most favorite spoonbill. Her heart thudded even harder as her eyes locked on an empty seat to his right. Everything seemed to be going her way this evening. Well, except for the incident at the bar, but this would more than make up for that. Ana approached the metal folding chair from behind so she could surprise Kipo and plopped down on it.

Startled, Kipo jerked his head to the right and his face lit up with pleasure at whom he saw. Ana could feel her skin heating up under his intense gaze. Suddenly, she knew she made the right choice taking her time to look her best. The vulture just finished his act and was taking a bow. However, Kipo didn't join in with the rest of the audience to applaud him. Instead, he nodded at Ana and began to speak. "My do you look beautiful. Not that you even needed any of that stuff, but you're clearly a master at it. Your eyes pop, that light green complements your dark blue feathers, just… wow."

The whole world seemed to freeze at that one moment. Ana's heart felt like it could explode from pure and utter bliss. He couldn't have said anything else to her that would have made her feel any more amazing. She knew right then and there that Angel could go to hell for all she cared. She wasn't going to steal Kipo's watch and that was that. Ana pulled Kipo to her and kissed him hard. He met her beak with his long bill and wrapped his large, rose colored wings around her like a blanket. They kissed as if they were the only two birds left on Earth.

When they separated at last, they just looked into each other's eyes for a moment. Ana never felt anything like this before. She certainly never did with Javier. All this time, she thought she cared about the military macaw, but now she realized that couldn't be further from the truth. Ana saw that the only reason she ever hung out with him, kissed him, thank goodness she never mated with him, was because she only knew three birds. One cared solely about world domination, the other too immature for a relationship. Now, though, she met someone who appreciated her. Someone who saw her as more than an object, and that was all she ever wanted. She thought having power would help her achieve that goal, but now she learned that it only took finding the right bird. She smiled, proud of herself. _Mission accomplished Ana. _

Ana pecked Kipo once more on his cheek and nuzzled his neck with her beak. She closed her eyes and sighed. "I love you."

Kipo's eyes widened in surprise. He didn't expect to hear those words from Ana. For some reason, he suspected that she dated him that night just for a little fun while she was in town. His beak curled in delight at having heard she held genuine feelings for him, ones he had to spare. "I love you too Ana. You're a wonderful bird. I'm so happy you came to the samba club that day."

"Me too." Ana's head swam in a sea of happiness. "One of the most productive afternoons I've ever spent in my life."

The special moment between the two ended when a familiar voice broke in. "Ana! It's so great that you could make it tonight!"

Ana moved apart from Kipo and fluffed her feathers in case the contact with him caused them to become ruffled. She smiled at the female, none other than Jewel, who now stood over them. "Hello Jewel, I'm glad I came too." Ana shifted her gaze to Kipo once more and gave him a sly grin. "I've been having fun with this one right here."

Jewel's eyes widened and she mouthed "Oh my Gosh." She pointed a wing from one bird to the other, a knowing look on her face. "Are you two together?"

Kipo turned to Ana, his eyes searching her face for the right answer to that question. Ana understood why Kipo didn't immediately say anything to Jewel. He wanted to make sure he didn't assign a label to anything that wasn't there. Ana took one of Kipo's wings in her own and squeezed it, eliciting a smile from the spoonbill. She then looked at Jewel once more. "Yes, I asked him out the day we all went to the samba club together." Ana blushed, knowing that the next part involved confessing something to Jewel. "If you remember when I stayed behind to use the bathroom, I didn't actually go. I went back to the bar and asked Kipo then."

Jewel nodded, not upset in the least. She felt much too enthusiastic about the idea of her two friends being a couple. Most of the time, Jewel wouldn't consider herself a romantic, at least not to the extent Rafael would. Wait until she broke the news to the toucan; he'd probably start planning their wedding! However, Jewel was in such a good mood at the moment she felt happy for the whole world. Carla would be performing next and Jewel couldn't wait to see her sing. "Well, I am absolutely ecstatic for you two." She motioned with her wing to the other side of the club. Ana turned her head in that direction and squinted, but couldn't see what Jewel pointed to. "The rest of my family is sitting over there; I just wanted to go to the bathroom before Carla's act. She's up next." Jewel gave Ana a playful wink. "Unlike you; however, I actually needed to go!"

Ana laughed and rolled her eyes at Jewel's slight jab. "Haha very funny. You go have fun over there now. I wouldn't want to keep you from missing your daughter's big night. We're all extremely proud of her."

Jewel thanked Ana and then waved goodbye before making her way across the crowded room to her seat hidden by the various audience members. Ana faced Kipo once more and drummed her talons along his feathery chest. "Sorry I got here so late. I hope I didn't miss too much of the show."

Kipo chuckled. "Actually, Carla is the last performance of the night."

Ana cocked her head in disbelief. She looked at him intently, wondering if there was any possible way he could be messing with her. No way she took that long to get ready. "You're kidding right?"

Kipo shook his head, trying to hide an amused grin on his bill. "I'm afraid not, but at least you'll get to see one bird sing before the show ends."

Ana crossed her wings and stuck the lower part of her beak out in a pout, except this time for no ulterior motive. She just felt grouchy. Talk about wasting your time preparing to look your best only to show off for a good twenty minutes. Ana wanted to march over to Nico and Pedro, who she could see at the judges' table on the other side of the club, and demand they restart the event. "Yeah, I guess so."

At that moment, Pedro flew on stage and clapped his wings to call for silence in the room. It took just a few seconds for all the animals in the vicinity to obey. When the club reached an acceptable noise level, Pedro cleared his throat. The cardinal looked no different than he did on a regular business day. He wasn't into any type of dressing up. Pedro felt that knocked his cool bird reputation down a notch. "Birds, animals, anyone who has their body in this building tonight! It's been a great time with y'all and I hope you've had some fun! But now, we are down to our last act of the evening. She's a little Spix's macaw and she's got a rockin' voice."

Pedro glided back over to the judges' table and stood on top of the white tablecloth. He pointed both wings to the back of the dance floor where contestants would emerge from behind a thick, red curtain he and Nico rigged up the other day. "Please put your wings, paws, your whatever together for Carla Gunderson!"

Everyone in the audience clapped eagerly for the small chick whom they'd heard made a big splash at the auditions. It certainly made sense to save one of the best birds for last if she lived up to their expectations. Carla walked out on stage, looking calm as a kitten. Ana nodded her head, impressed with the young girl's demeanor. She knew from experience being on TV that trying to be yourself in front of a large crowd wasn't easy. She really had to hand it to Carla for being so brave.

Ana nudged Kipo with her wing, making him divert his attention to her. He arched an eyebrow, wondering what it was she could want. "What's the matter?" he whispered.

Ana lowered her voice as well and moved her eye in Carla's direction. "I can't wait; I just know she's going to sound so good. By the way, what song is she gonna sing?"

Kipo tapped his beak with his talon as he thought. He couldn't quite recall. He hadn't exactly looked at the program since Ana showed up. Since then, she'd been the only thing on his mind. It didn't really matter, though, because seconds later the beat to the song began to play. Ana's ears perked up a little bit and her face scrunched in confusion. _Huh, this music feels familiar for some reason. I could have sworn I heard this song before, but I can't quite put my talon on where I've heard it. _

When Carla started to open her beak and actually sing the lyrics; however, Ana's heart stopped beating. While the rest of the birds in the audience, Kipo included, were swept away by Carla's soothing voice and the words she sang, Ana sank deeper and deeper into a state of terror. She couldn't breathe and began to hyperventilate, drawing Kipo's gaze to her. His eyes widened with horror and he spoke to Ana, his voice subdued so he didn't disturb anyone. "Ana, Ana, what's going on?"

Ana couldn't speak. She could feel her organs beginning to starve for air but none would come. All she could focus on was the last time she heard that song, the day her entire world came crashing down. Kipo continued to shake her, tears starting to come to his eyes. He couldn't lose her, not now, not when he finally knew she loved him. "Ana, please. Please breathe."

He seemed to get through to her that time. Ana's lungs obeyed her brain at last and filled with oxygen. She began to choke and gasp, earning strange looks from the animals around her. Their opinions were the last thing on her mind, however. She didn't even think about Kipo right then. The only thing she wanted was to get as far away from the samba club as possible. Ana jumped out of her chair and ran outside, ignoring Kipo's concerned calls and the bewildered stares of strangers as she went.


	13. 13 The Truth (Mostly) Comes Out

**Author's Notes:**

**Hello Everyone! I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of you who have read so far. This next chapter is very important as it reveals what caused Ana to change from a sweet, caring bird to one capable of seeking revenge and serving a great evil. Now, this chapter is a bit darker than the previous ones, but Ana suffered a pretty scary past as you will all learn after reading. Just thought I should warn you. **

**Part of this story, in particular where Ana sits at the bar as you will see, draws from "The Shadow of Doubt" arc of Kraft58's "The Dark Robes Remastered." If you have yet to check out his stories, you should.**

**Chapter 13: The Truth (Mostly) Comes Out**

The sky outside the samba club no longer contained any shred of light, making flying for those attempting to do so difficult. Kipo really needed to squint his eyes tight as he swerved around tall buildings and large water towers . No stars or moon illuminated the night, the entire celestial canvas covered by thick, black clouds. Kipo worried that another storm was making its way toward the city of Rio and would soon soak him beyond comprehension. The cheerful applause for Carla's performance grew quieter and quieter as Kipo continued to fly across town. His heart thudded in his chest, powering him on as he resisted the urge to give up. Try as he might, he couldn't find Ana anywhere. By the time he reached the exit to the samba club, she disappeared into the night. The bouncer outside couldn't provide any help to the spoonbill, for he had taken a break at the bar, figuring no more guests would arrive.

Thoughts swirled to and fro in Kipo's head as to where Ana could have gone. _I don't exactly know where she lives, so I really hope she didn't go home. She said her tree is on the grounds of the Blu Bird Sanctuary, but that's a pretty big patch of land. I'll be looking around forever. _Kipo paused in midair but kept flapping his wings to prevent himself from plunging into the barren side street below. He panted hard to catch his breath. Kipo never flew this fast in his life; every place he needed to go was within a half hour trip, so he didn't ever have to worry about being late.

After a few minutes, Kipo decided to land on a dingy apartment building to his right. The outer facade built of brick needed a good scrubbing. Dirt caked the walls and cement ceiling he stood on. As Kipo leaned on the edge made of mortar and peered down at the alleys far under him, he noticed several air conditioners sticking out. For some reason, he couldn't help but imagine that they did little to relieve suffering from the intense heat that plagued Brazil throughout the year. The appliances appeared to be the cheapest the poor citizens living in the structure could afford.

Thinking about such things made Kipo feel warm himself, though, he was probably just exhausted from the brief workout he'd undertaken with no prior warmup. He fanned himself with one of his massive, pink and white wings. Kipo smiled at the instant, cooling winds he created. The size of his wings allowed him to make gusts of breeze comparable to those of a box fan.

When he finished, Kipo strolled over to a curved metal pipe that ran through the building and sat on it. Sighing, he put his head in his lap and rubbed his eyes with his wings. He felt tired; it was late after all. The plan to go to bed soon now spoiled, Kipo knew he'd need to take a long nap in the morning. He grew frustrated and closed his eyes tight, wracking his brain to conjure up possible locations of Ana's whereabouts. He couldn't just leave her all alone wherever she was. Clearly, she'd been upset by that song and needed someone to make sure she felt okay. What Kipo wanted to know is what made her freak out in the first place? It seemed like more than just dislike towards the tune, Kipo thought she appeared afraid of it. That didn't make any sense to him; he needed an explanation.

Kipo tapped his head with a wing curled into a fist and thought long and hard. _Come on Kipo, you know her, well, a little anyway. Obviously, she didn't fly all the way back to Florida so where else do you know she goes. _All of a sudden, lights went off in Kipo's head. If they could somehow break through his feathers, the glow would have been bright enough to shine upon a decent portion of the city. Kipo shot up onto his talons and formed a confident grin on his beak. He whipped his head in the direction behind him and tilted his neck upward so his eyes landed on one thing in particular, the Christ the Redeemer statue.

To him, it didn't seem like too far of a stretch. Ana just told Kipo she loved him, not twenty minutes ago. If she wanted to be alone and take time to compose herself, why not head to the last place you had happy memories? Kipo almost blushed, flattered at the thought if it turned out to be true. The idea of Ana choosing the location where their first date occurred to find solace gave him a happy feeling inside. He nodded, his face now set with stern determination. He flapped his wings a few times, preparing to take off. "I will be there for her," he promised himself. "Even if I don't find her there, I won't stop looking until I fall over. I love her and I won't let anything happen to her." Resolute about the path he now chose to take, Kipo launched his tall figure upwards and sped for the statue which loomed on the far off horizon.

#

Since Rio's most recognizable landmark happened to stand on the opposite end of the city from where the samba club lay, Kipo gasped for breath as he tumbled onto the dirt in front. He stayed put for a few seconds, balled up in a fetal position on the dry, brown makeshift walkway. _I need to start working out more. What if I have to fly for my life one of these days and I get caught because I'm out of shape?_

A couple minutes later, Kipo stood up and brushed the dust off his body. Unfortunately, due to the fact that the feathers on his stomach were white, some dirt refused to budge and his complexion now contained grimey smudges. Kipo rolled his eyes, annoyed with this realization. _Wonderful. Good thing it's so dark out I can barely see two feet in front of my wings; Ana won't be able to notice a thing before I have a chance to wash myself off tomorrow morning. _

Of course he didn't even have to worry about the chance Ana might catch him looking less than his best if he couldn't find her. Kipo began to move about the side of the statue's base that faced the jungle which surrounded three-fourths of Rio. He cupped his wings over his beak to increase the volume of his call, just in case Ana happened to be here but hid in the vegetation for some privacy. "Ana! It's me, Kipo! I came to make sure you were okay; please come out!"

Kipo put a wing to his ear and strained for even the slightest noise that could be a response from the blue and gold macaw. His adrenaline flow drained as the only sound he earned back came from a frog that hopped out of a bush in front of him. He sighed, feeling more defeated with each failed attempt. Maybe he'd never see Ana again. It sure seemed like she wanted to make sure nobody knew where she went.

Kipo strode back to the concrete steps that led up to the body of the statue and sat down on the one closest to the ground. A singular, salty teardrop slid from his eyelid onto his feathery waist. Kipo wiped the residual liquid which now dampened his cheek, but more tears simply wet his face. He'd lost her, the first bird he cared about more than as a friend. He wanted to go on more than just one date with her; Kipo wished to be by her side through it all. Now he would never get that chance. After tonight, his normal, boring life would resume. The same old shifts at the club with the same old birds Kipo had known for years and years. He craved something new and after all this time, right when the opportunity to do something more with his life came, she got snatched right out of his wings.

"K-K-Kipo?" asked a small voice from behind him.

Kipo whirled around and his beak dropped with glee at what he saw. Standing on the uppermost step, peeking out from behind the statue's feet was Ana. However, Kipo's grin fell from his face when he looked a little more closely at her. She appeared to have been crying pretty hard this whole time. The mascara that made her eyes even larger than usual now ran down her beak in long, black streaks. The green color from the lipstick almost gone and in desperate need of a reapplication. Ana looked to be in terrible condition and it broke Kipo's heart.

He bolted up the stairs and wrapped her in a comforting hug. He tightened his grip when he felt her return the gesture with her much smaller wings. Unfortunately, all that did was start Ana's tears back up once more. Only now, she bawled, causing Kipo to fear something horribly wrong happened that he didn't yet know about. For now, Ana just needed to cry to take the edge off. After she calmed down, he'd ask her why she ran away from the show. Kipo patted her back to reassure her that she wasn't alone anymore and he wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. "It's okay, I'm here. Take your time, there's no rush at all."

Ana didn't even bother to utter a reply. She couldn't even think straight; her thoughts converged into one big, indecipherable blob. The one feeling she sensed besides devastation, she recognized as smothering guilt. Ana knew without a shadow of a doubt as she wet Kipo's feathers with the waste product of her inner turmoil, she didn't deserve his pity. She hadn't been honest with him from the beginning. He didn't really know her. If he did, he'd certainly want nothing to do with her. Their entire relationship stood on a murky sinkhole of lies that threatened to swallow Ana into its sandy, muddy abyss. _I can't do it anymore. I need to tell him the truth._

But, try as she might, Ana just couldn't bring herself to do it. She feared what Angel might do to her if somehow he discovered she spilled his master plan of overtaking Rio to the spoonbill. Not only would he have her head, he'd murder Kipo too since he'd be a liability. Ana couldn't let that happen to him; he didn't need to be brought into her mess. She'd keep him safe, she decided, but the time had come to get this off her chest. For years, Ana carried the weight of the trauma all alone, opening up to no one. She'd never really dealt with the pain and moved past it. Instead, she turned to plans for revenge to bury herself in distraction and look how that all ended up. She felt almost as bad as she felt that day. Ana couldn't run from her past anymore; she needed to face it and Kipo, the sweet bird he was, would listen. She knew she didn't deserve his open ear and a shoulder to cry on, but right now, if she couldn't unload on somebody, she felt like she might explode.

Ana released herself from Kipo's strong hold and wiped the tears from her eyes. She figured they must look as red as eyes often do when one takes a picture with a flash camera. Ana always hated how photos of her came out when shooting commercial scenes with those devices. They never did her gorgeous body justice. Although, if she'd been the ugliest bird on the planet, maybe she'd still be happy and not torn to shreds inside.

Kipo peered into her colorless, gray eyes. His face reflected endless concern, but he tried for a tiny smile to show Ana that they could make it better now that they were together again. He placed a wing on Ana's shoulder and she turned to look at it, as if it might vaporize into thin air. "Hey, you know you can tell me anything right? Whatever happened back there that bothered you, it doesn't matter. We'll sort through it. Just tell me."

Ana closed her eyes, trying her very hardest not to start crying again. _He's so nice that it hurts. Was my heart really damaged that much that I can't even be a good bird anymore and do what's right just once? I'm such a horrible bird; I'm no better than the one that ruined my life. _She shook her head and wrapped herself in her wings, shivering from what she believed to be her frozen heart. "You don't want to hear about my problems Kipo. You should be at home right now, getting some sleep, not out here on the edge of town listening to me sob like a big baby,"

Kipo scoffed and set his other wing on Ana's second shoulder and stared into her eyes with more seriousness than she'd ever witnessed the spoonbill display before. He looked as if no one in the entire world could change his mind from what he'd decided. "Ana, there is nothing on this Earth I would rather do more right now. You mean everything to me. Before you came into the samba club that day, I felt like my life didn't hold any real value. I was just an average bird living a mundane existence. You did what I've only heard my friend Rafael talk about before, something I thought was impossible."

Ana smiled a bit for the first time all night. "And what's that?"

Kipo removed one of his wings and instead took Ana's wig in it. She breathed in with pleasure at the feel of his touch. "You made me feel the rhythm of my heart, and inside, every fiber of my body awoke and soared."

Ana shook her head again, only this time a grin spread across her face. She longed to kiss him in that moment, but couldn't. Before she did, she needed to tell him what plagued her mind. She ruffled her feathers and let out a big, scared breath. Her pulse raced a mile a minute with the anticipation of revealing such a monumental secret. The smile dissolved into a fearful stare, her eyes almost bugging out of her head. "Alright Kipo, I will tell you. I've never told anyone else about what happened."

Kipo's gaze never left Ana's. He prepared himself to handle whatever Ana told him, as horrible as it might be. He resolved that no matter what, he'd support her. "Go on, I will interrupt you only if it's vital to my understanding, okay?"

Ana nodded. "Well, I suppose I should start from the very beginning. Do you remember how I said I used to act in commercials until they started running new ads without me in them?"

"Yeah, of course." Kipo wouldn't forget a single word from that night for as long as he lived. Though, he couldn't help but wonder what this had to do with her freaking out over a song. He wasn't about to break his promise to her, however. He assumed they'd get to that part eventually.

Ana looked to the left at the jungle growth where the frog from before continued to jump around, not a care in the world. "That wasn't entirely true. You see, the commercial with the naughty parrot was a massive hit. It increased their sales by a huge margin. The only problem was me." Ana pointed to herself to emphasize her point, her tone growing more bitter and sarcastic by the second. "Apparently to them, I'd gotten too old and washed up for my role. They needed to bring in a new, younger bird to do the job." Ana sniffled, furious, and wiped her beak in case anything happened to be coming out. "They fired me and released me onto the streets of Mexico City, the location we'd been filming at that day, just like that after working for them for years. The second my appearance wasn't exactly what they were looking for I got kicked to the curb like a piece of crap."

Kipo could feel his own rage beginning to brew inside of him. His wings curled into fists and he trembled with anger towards the careless humans who dared to treat the bird he loved that way. "I don't believe it! What a bunch of jerks! All they care about is money, money, and more money. They'll do anything to get wealthy, even if it means chopping down trees and kidnapping birds right from their homes. Many of them are monsters, that's why I couldn't fathom that Blu lived with a kind woman when he told us about her. It just didn't seem possible."

Ana laughed, confusing Kipo. How could she find any of this funny? A smile danced on her beak but he suspected her emotions were anything but happy. He'd never seen her so twisted before and it terrified him to his very core. "Oh, that isn't even close to the worst of what happened that day. After they let me go, I found myself in the middle of their downtown district." She shrugged her shoulders. "At least that's where I thought they left me alone. To be perfectly honest, I didn't have the slightest clue where I got dropped off. It's not like they gave me a map."

Kipo couldn't imagine how Ana must have felt that day. She must have been so scared getting thrown out into the big, bad world like that without anyone there to guide her or to care about her. Ana's face turned about ten shades more grim as she recounted the next detail of her story. "I flew around for a while, going nowhere in particular. I just felt so depressed and unwanted. You've got to understand I was all alone. I didn't have anybody in the world to let me know what was going to happen next. All I wanted was something to silence the voices of uncertainty inside my head, to relax my mind for just a second." She swiped her wing across her eye to catch a tear that snuck past her now normal-sized eyelashes. "So, I found this little bar in an abandoned building. It was like Mexico City's version of the samba club."

#

**Mexico City, Seven Years Ago**

Ana sat at the wide, faux-wood bartop of the "Plastered Parrot" and shifted her bottom on the scratchy stool. The soft leather contained several cracks where the stuffing peeked out and the sharp edges of said holes kept scraping against her delicate feathers. Ana rolled her eyes and took another gulp of her margarita. All she wanted to do was forget everything that happened this afternoon so the more drinks she downed the better.

She surveyed the interior of the building she'd discovered as she flew over the city, attempting to find a suitable place to stay for the night. When she heard the pulsing beat of electronic music; however, she knew she needed to give this place a try. Ana thought she recognized the song the DJ spun right now as 50 Cent and Olivia's "Candy Shop." Outside, a sign labeled the joint Birds Only, so that was all she saw grinding on the dance floor to the suggestive lyrics. The couples who danced managed to make her feel even worse as it hit home again that she had nobody.

Ana covered her eyes with her wings to block out the purple and pink neon lights which flashed nonstop to the beat of the music. That along with the alcohol began to gave her a pounding headache. Deep down, Ana knew she needed to stop trying to delay the inevitable. _I've got to figure out my next steps. All my life, I stayed in captivity. I don't have the slightest clue how to survive in the wild, but here I am. I've got to keep my head on straight here and make a plan. _

She tipped her wide-bottomed glass to her beak and swallowed the last few drops of the tropical drink. Wiping her beak, she signaled to the bartender who started to approach that she wouldn't be having any more and hopped off the barstool. As Ana marched across the room with the full intent of leaving the establishment; however, a voice called out to her. "Hey! What's the hurry? It's only 10:00! The party didn't even start yet!"

Ana closed her eyes to steel herself to deal with whoever dared to bother her in her miserable state. Turning around, Ana prepared to tell the bird off but when she saw him her breath caught in her throat. Her heart did a few somersaults in her chest and she just stood there for a second, clubgoers knocking into her, taking him in. In front of her, a scarlet macaw with flame-red feathers sat at the far-right barstool. His eyes contained little color, just like hers. If his feathers were blue and yellow and a bit longer at the top, it would have been like looking in the mirror. His smile seemed welcoming enough and Ana was practically dying for company, so she grinned and walked back over to him.

She took a seat at an empty place next to him and nodded at his drink. In front of the macaw, lay a tiny shot glass filled with a clear liquid. Ana arched an impressed eyebrow. "You ain't messin' around over here are you?"

The bird shook his head no, a sly grin on his face. He picked up the cup and swirled its contents around. When he spoke, Ana's eyes widened a little further. Now that she sat right next to him, his tone came out much deeper. In fact, Ana couldn't recall ever hearing a bird with such a deep voice. "When I come to drink, I don't like to be teased with all the fruit and sugar. I come for the hard liquor and nothing less."

Ana nodded, a tad awkward but she didn't really know what to say. She hadn't expected to need to use her actress charm ever in the near future, certainly not this very night. "That's a good way to live, if you can hold your alcohol. I'll admit that I'm not the best at it." Ana gestured to her former stool, closer to the very center of the bar where the bartender behind the counter gave her a confused glance. Ana understood, he just saw her leave after all. "I'm sure you saw that I already had a few over there."

The scarlet macaw drummed a wing on the polished surface of the bar. It only looked like wood due to the coat of paint the table possessed. The bird knew this from previous trips to the place. He grabbed the small glass and threw back the drink with one swift motion. His face scrunched up in an instant and he let out a sharp breath, the strong alcohol burning his throat. "I did, margarita if I'm not mistaken?"

Ana smiled, taken aback for the second time in a minute. This bird was full of surprises. "You've got a good eye. What's your name?"

"I don't give out my name to girls before they have a drink with me." Ana giggled but her face fell when the macaw continued to stare at her and she realized he wasn't kidding. He held up a wingtip to alert the bartender he wanted another drink. "Margaritas are all well and good but if you're really looking for that good tequila punch, well…" The chubby green and red keel-billed toucan slid two shots across the bartop to Ana and the scarlet macaw. Ana glanced at the cup as the male macaw pushed it closer to her. "You have to taste it by itself."

Ana cringed and returned the glass to the macaw. "I'm sorry, but I've never done shots before. Besides, I feel a little tipsy already so I don't think I should have any more."

The scarlet macaw chuckled and shoved the cup at her again. "Nonsense! You haven't fully experienced the great country of Mexico until you do a tequila shot or two." He made a "come on" gesture with his wing and then leaned in to whisper into her ear. "You know you came over here for a reason. If you really had enough, you'd have ignored me and walked right out that door."

Ana bit the lower half of her beak and looked down from one talon to another. The scarlet macaw smirked, knowing he'd made a valid point. She thought long and hard about what to do. She did come to the bar for a good time right? What was more mind numbing and careless than knocking back glass after glass of booze? All Ana wanted to do right now was let go and forget all her problems so what the heck? She grasped the tiny container of tequila and tossed the liquid into her beak without another thought. The alcohol lit a fire in her esophagus and she swore the lining of it melted more and more by the second. Ana blinked her eyes a few times while the scarlet macaw laughed, amused. She gave him a playful push and grinned. "How's that for a newbie?"

The macaw nodded with a smile; it was now his turn to be impressed. He drank his tequila as well and smacked the table after he swallowed. "Not bad, but we're just getting started." The bird snapped his wingtips like a pair of fingers to get the toucan to look over at them. "Another round over here big guy and keep them coming! We might be here a while."

…

Eight rounds of tequila later, Ana's head spun like a merry-go-round. She could barely keep herself on her seat, her balance that poor. The scarlet macaw looked similar to Ana. His eyes rolled all around in their sockets and his throat ached as if a veterinarian just removed his tonsils. "Wow." His speech came out all slurred so that the word sounded more like "Wurow." "I'm so hammered I can't even see straight." He turned to the blue and gold macaw next to him, his face creasing with concern at the sight of her. "How are you feeling? You don't look so good."

Ana didn't feel so good either. Her stomach bubbled and roiled in protest at the endless alcohol it consumed without the slightest bit of food to soak it up. She covered her mouth with her beak as a wave of nausea rolled over her whole body. Ana bet that her face turned as green as the palm trees that she used to see every day back when she lived at the theme park. "I'm gonna vomit all over the place."

The urgency in that statement came out clear to the scarlet macaw who lept out of his barstool, but then froze just as quick. The sudden movement caused the bar to begin spinning all around him. He fell over, though, the other patrons around him were too busy having a good time to notice his drunken spill. As slow as he could manage while still being efficient, the macaw stood up once more and took a moment to steady himself. Then, he helped Ana off her seat and began to walk her to a hall on the left side of the building.

The music could still be heard loud and clear down the narrow, poorly lit corridor which ended with a door on its right wall. The scarlet macaw pushed open the door, revealing a one person bathroom behind it. Ana rushed for the toilet and bent over it while the scarlet macaw locked the door so Ana could have some privacy. Ana emptied the entire contents of her stomach into the bowl before wiping her beak, feeling just the smallest bit relieved now. Though her belly was no longer upset, she still had trouble controlling her other limbs. Almost zero strength existed in her whole body. Therefore, when the male macaw lunged at her with shocking force and pinned her to the wall behind the toilet Ana wasn't able to fight him off.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Panic crept into her voice. Despite how drunk her body felt, her mind worked just fine and she knew what he was doing perfectly well, though she didn't want to admit it. "Get your wings off of me! Let me go!"

The scarlet macaw cackled, a wicked grin on his face. He looked Ana up and down, making her thankful she couldn't read his mind. "Now why would I do that? I didn't get what I came here for yet."

Ana opened her beak to scream but nothing came out. Every bone in her body trembled with sheer terror at what could happen any second now. How could he be so strong and coordinated right now? Just seconds ago, he looked to be as intoxicated as she. Shock crossed over Ana's face and her jaw dropped to the floor. Almost as if he could read her mind, the scarlet macaw's evil smile spread wider. "You didn't actually drink all that alcohol, did you?"

The macaw laughed: a horrible and cruel laugh. "You stupid bird, of course not! After two shots, while you were drunk out of your mind, I had the bartender switch my beverage to water. Plus, I can actually hold a little bit of my liquor. Unlike you, which you so dumbly admitted to me."

Ana found her voice in that moment, knowing she only had one chance to be saved. She screamed as loud as her vocal cords would allow in the hopes that someone waited outside to use the restroom. "Help! Somebody help me! Please! He's trying to-"

The scarlet macaw shushed her by placing a wingtip in front of his beak. Ana couldn't believe it. That outburst didn't faze him in the least. All it seemed to do was serve as entertainment for the heartless bird. He let out a demonic cackle and shook his head, disappointed in her. "Nobody can hear you! That music is WAY too loud! You're mine, pretty bird."

Ana felt all her emotions disappear and she stopped fighting because she knew he was right. She could hear birds in the next room singing along and dancing to one of the most popular songs of the year: Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone." Nobody would break away in the middle of that to use the bathroom and even if they did, the room contained so much noise no one could hear her. This psycho would be able to do whatever he wanted with her and she'd be powerless to stop him.

#

**Rio de Janeiro, Present Day**

Ana shrugged her shoulders, her eyes reflecting as little emotion as they did the moment all those years ago she knew her life would never be the same again. "And he did, he did whatever he wanted to me and after that he left. He left and I never saw him again." She shook her head and scoffed. "It was all my fault."

Kipo stared back at the macaw he loved so much. His eyes filled with tears for perhaps the millionth time since Ana really got into her story. He felt so much pain and sorrow just from hearing about what happened so he couldn't even begin to comprehend how Ana must have felt. He wished he could have saved her that day. If he and that scarlet macaw ever crossed paths, he'd kill him and that was a promise. Kipo looked at Ana as she struggled not to cry. He longed to hold her in his wings and kiss the suffering away but he knew that wouldn't work. Right now, he needed to say the right thing and he knew just where to start. "Ana." He paused for a second, startled by the crack his voice made from his anguish. "In no way was any of what happened that night your fault."

Ana nodded her head rapidly and her tears began to fall. She tried to speak but kept gasping for air in between. "Ye-ye-ye-yes it wa-wa-was! I c-could have w-walked away wh-when he called me over." She wiped her eyes but more water came. Ana breathed in huge, uneven gulps of air. She could just feel the hiccups that would be coming later. "I c-could have s-said no to doing sh-shots." Ana's anger rose higher and higher. She really wasn't mad at Kipo, but she couldn't take her rage out on the one bird she wanted to. Ana looked like she was insane and she might as well have been, for she couldn't think straight right now even if she tried. "I had a ton of freaking chances to prevent it so don't you dare say it wasn't my fault because it was!"

Kipo rushed forward and enveloped her in his huge wings. Ana tried to fight him off. She pushed, clawed, and bit at him but he held her tight until she tired out and the two of them just cried together. It seemed like forever before they drained enough of their bodies' water supply so that their eyes could no longer produce tears. Kipo let Ana go and moved her beak so that she looked right at him, even though she didn't want to. "Ana, when stuff like that happens, it's never your fault. He didn't have to take advantage of you like that; he chose to. He was an evil bird and there are some sickos out there like that. If I could have done anything, you know I would have but just remember one thing. It was not and never will be your fault."

Ana let out a huge breath and nodded her head. Inside, she didn't believe that but she knew Kipo would never let it go until she agreed with him. She just focused on the fact that she felt better now that someone other than her knew the trauma she went through. "Well, now you know why I don't drink. I'll never let my guard down like that again. I just wish there was something I could do about the way I look."

Kipo cocked his head, confused. "Why, what's wrong you? You're the most beautiful bird I've ever met in my whole life."

Ana clapped her wings together, a sarcastic frown on her face. "Exactly, do you think if I looked terrible that macaw would have even given me a second glance? I wouldn't have even been in Mexico that night if those humans didn't think I was good enough to be in their commercials! Everyone thinks being beautiful is so great but it's a goddamn curse!" She plopped down on the stone staircase and just stared into her lap. She hardly noticed Kipo sit down next to her and place a wing around her body. "I hate myself." Ana felt this way for the longest time but never said the words aloud. To her, admitting that to someone else just seemed like the weakest thing she could ever do. She turned to Kipo, her eyes searching his face as if he could provide the answers to all the questions in the world. "How can you love me if I don't even love myself?"

Kipo stretched his eyelids downward with his wings, his head starting to pound. There wasn't anything he could say in that moment that would act as a magical cure to Ana's lack of self-esteem. So, he decided he would say the next best thing. "Ana, I love you because of the person you are inside. You watch Blu and Jewel's kids all the time, that makes you generous. You are incredibly funny and sweet." Kipo gave her a tiny kiss on her cheek, making Ana blush just a little. "Whether you believe it or not, you're brave, braver than me in fact." He raised an eyebrow teasingly. "Let's not forget that it was you who asked me out in the first place. I'd never have the nerve to do that."

Ana giggled, feeling better already. "You always know just what to say to cheer me up."

Kipo's smile turned serious and he took both of Ana's wings into his. Staring straight into her eyes, Ana couldn't help but feel her heart rate double its speed. "I love you no matter what you look like because you are just as beautiful on the inside as you are out, and that's all that matters. Even if it takes me saying what I love about you every day to make you believe that I love you, and maybe make you love you again, I will do it. I'd do anything for you."

Ana could feel the familar sensation of tears coming to her eyes again, but for a whole different reason this time. Just like that, Ana knew. Kipo was the one. She wrapped her wings around his long, lean body and kissed him, more passionately than ever before. Kipo enjoyed the kiss like normal at first, but then his eyes opened, startled at the feeling of Ana pushing him to the stone floor.

Kipo looked around and grew a little fearful as Ana climbed on top of him. "Um, Ana?"

Ana placed a wingtip over Kipo's bill to silence him. She smiled, her heart doing cartwheels inside her chest. This was how it should've been the first time. Ana knew that she could have never done this with Javier. Sure, he made working for Angel tolerable but that was all. Ana never felt feelings like she felt right now. "When that scarlet macaw did what he did to me, in the back of my mind I couldn't help but think that I'd never get to truly experience my first time. However, I still consider myself a, you know, because I didn't choose to give it up." Ana blushed deeply and hugged her wings to herself. "But now, I know who I want to be my first."

Kipo's heart began to beat a mile a minute, yet the expression on his bill looked uncertain at best. "Ana, a-are you sure? I mean, we don't have to do it right now if you don't want to. There's so much more time."

Ana shook her head no. "I've never been more sure about anything in my life." Of course, Ana still hadn't told Kipo exactly how she made it to Rio and why. That would have meant talking about her meeting Angel and his other henchmen. But, like he said there'd be more time later. Right now, Ana only wanted Kipo. She didn't want to think about anything else as she kissed him, the moonless sky providing them all the darkness and privacy anyone could ever ask for.


	14. 14 The Hateful Love Triangle

**Chapter 14: The Hateful Love Triangle**

"Mom! Tiago won't pass the syrup!" complained Carla. She scowled at her little brother, who kept patting the bottom of the plastic bottle to release more of the sweet, maple liquid onto his plate of pancakes. Carla gestured toward him and looked to her parents for help. "He's had it for like five minutes now! I want some too!"

Tiago pulled the bottle which dripped with syrup from the still open cap to his chest, getting his feathers all sticky. He stuck the lower half of his beak out in a pout at his mother who paused with her fork halfway to her beak to glare at her son. "But I'm not finished yet!" He pointed to the second of his stack of four pancakes. Half of it stuck out of the tower, revealing its perfect golden brown exterior. "Look, that bit isn't covered at all!"

Carla groaned and crossed her wings over her stomach. "He could have done that a while ago; he's taking forever on purpose and I'm getting sick of it!"

Jewel put her fork, which still had a piece of pancake on it, down on her white ceramic plate and motioned to Tiago to hand over the bottle. "All right Tiago, that's enough. Give it to me."

Tiago's jaw dropped and he whirled in Carla's direction at the sound of her snickering at him. He opened his beak to protest but snapped it shut when he noticed that the look on his mother's face meant business. He reluctantly passed the syrup to Carla who snatched it out of his wing. "There you go," he mumbled under his breath.

"Thanks." The smile on Carla's beak screamed self satisfaction. She only touched the very bottom of the bottle as she tilted it towards her food so her wings wouldn't get sticky. Carla licked her beak, watching the amber stream flow from the hole in the top down onto her father's wonderful breakfast. When she thought she'd poured enough, Carla replaced the red bottle cap and put the syrup in the center of the rock they all used as a makeshift dining table. Then, she grabbed her fork and stuck it into the center of one of the soft, fluffy cakes. Taking a big bite, Carla made an "Mmmm" noise. After she swallowed, she turned to her father, grinning. "Dad, these are so good. Thanks so much for making all this for me."

Blu nodded his head and placed a forkful of his own creation in his mouth as well. With his mouth still full, he responded to his daughter. "You're welcome honey. We had to do something to celebrate how well you did in the show last night. You made us all so proud."

Jewel grinned at her oldest daughter as she spooned some blueberries from a small, red plastic bowl, which now sat next to the syrup, onto her plate. "You really did; it was such a joy getting to hear you sing last night. I wish you'd let us hear your beautiful voice more often."

Carla blushed a little and she fiddled with the cord of her earbuds which lay on her lap. "I know Mom but I like singing more by myself. It's more fun when no one is judging you and you can really be yourself." She shrugged her shoulders and moved her fork in circles on her plate. "Besides, I only got third place so I can't be that good."

Bia looked up from the latest book Linda let her borrow and turned towards Carla, syrup and fruit juice covering her mouth. "Actually Carla, considering the two acts who got first and second place both did a dance routine as well, I'd say you did all you could for only singing. You really took advantage of all the available odds and not once did you go off-key or anything. You did a spectacular job."

Carla chose to ignore the big words Bia used in her compliment since she knew her little sister only tried to be nice and nodded at her with a smile. "Thanks sis." She turned to her parents once more and took another bite of her pancakes. "I'm glad that if anyone beat me out for one of the top spots, it was that vulture." Her blush deepened and Carla looked down at her talons, hoping none of her family saw. "I wanted him to do good; he was really nice to me during auditions."

Tiago poked Carla with the blunt end of his fork and made smooching noises at her, making Carla wrinkle her beak in disgust. He raised his eyebrows knowingly at her. "Ooh, does Carla have a crush?!" he singsonged.

Carla crumpled up the paper napkin next to her plate into a tight ball and tossed it at Tiago. It bounced off his shoulder but he ignored it and continued to laugh harder. Carla chose to just roll her eyes and not scream at him. Best to act as if it didn't bother her in the slightest. "Whatever. I'm just happy for him. Going into the show I had a feeling those capybaras were gonna take the top prize. They looked like professional dancer who did acrobatics and stuff for a living. I figured I didn't have a chance against them."

Blu reached across Alicia, who sat on a small stump and was busy coloring in a butterfly with pink and purple crayons in one of her activity books, to stroke Carla's back. He gave her a reassuring smile. "Hey, I'm just proud of you for trying out in the first place." He pointed to himself with a wing and laughed. "Do you know how afraid I am of being up in front of a crowd. I wouldn't have gone out for that show if somebody paid me a hundred dollars. I don't know where you got so brave Carla but it sure wasn't from me."

Carla giggled and nodded. "Thanks Dad; although, I'm not quite sure what a dollar is exactly."

Jewel shifted her gaze to her mate and arched a curious eyebrow at him. She poked the tines of her fork into his side, causing him to jerk his body away from her with a laugh. "I don't have the slightest clue either." Jewel placed a wing under her chin and leaned on her elbow in Blu's direction. She batted her eyelashes at him as if she looked forward to his explanation more than anything else in the world. "I'm sure it will be interesting though."

Blu chuckled and kissed Jewel on the cheek. While he did so, he missed both Carla and Tiago stick their tongues out at the mushy display. Blu puffed out his chest and stuck his beak in the air. Then he began to speak in a fake accent to sound more snotty and sophisticated. "Well my dear, I'd be happy to clear up any confusions you might have concerning what the people call dollars. Dollars are a form of money which humans use to buy and sell many different kinds of-"

Alicia stopped moving a black colored pencil along the butterfly's antenna and said: "Okay Daddy, you've bored us enough already. You can stop now." Everyone at the table froze and spun their heads to stare at the youngest macaw in the room. Alicia looked from one bird's face to the other, genuine bewilderment crossing her beak. "What? Carla says stuff like that all the time. Why is it bad if I say it?'

Blu, Jewel, and their other three kids burst out laughing at this statement. Alicia still didn't understand; she thought they were all making fun of her. She threw the black crayon she held down on the wooden floor and turned her body around so her back faced the table. Jewel walked over to her daughter and hugged her, trying her best not to laugh anymore at the bird's antics. Alicia, being stubborn, wouldn't return Jewel's embrace but that didn't stop Jewel from attempting to comfort her. "Sweetie, we weren't laughing at you. It's just so unlike you to say something like that, it caught us all by surprise." She lowered her voice so that only Alicia would hear this next part. "Honestly, I'm glad you interrupted when you did. Daddy gets a little bit carried away sometimes."

Alicia stopped moping and giggled, her innocent smile returning to her face. She looked at her mother's wing, curled into a fist, and bumped it with her own wing. Then, Alicia shifted her gaze to her father who grinned at her. Her stomach did a nervous flip-flop and she shuffled a talon hidden by the table. "Sorry Daddy. Everyone was acting silly and I wanted to make a joke too. I hope I didn't hurt your feelings."

Blu got up from his seat and bent down to give the little chick a hug. "Don't worry honey you didn't upset me at all. I thought it was hilarious!" He stretched his head over Alicia's shoulder to peer at Carla who laughed so hard, tears now ran down her cheeks. "I think I might have to have a word with your sister, however. Apparently, she's been a bit of a bad influence lately," he teased.

Carla rolled her eyes at her father, a good-natured smirk on her beak. "Come on Dad, you heard what she said. She just wanted in on the fun." She moved her head in Tiago's direction. "You know the only bird I ever make fun of seriously is this one over here."

Tiago whirled around to face Carla, preparing to say something in response; however, halfway through the rotation he caught sight of a blue blur in the doorway. Facing the entrance once more, a wide grin broke out across his beak and waved at who he saw. "Hi Auntie Ana!"

Everyone else turned to see Ana standing in the hole to their tree, a shy smile on her face. She removed one of the wings she held behind her back to return Tiago's wave. "Hello Tiago." She looked from one blue face to the other. "Hey guys. I don't want to interrupt your meal. I just wanted to stop by and apologize for not staying and seeing your whole performance Carla. I don't know what happened but I didn't feel good last night so I stepped out for some fresh air. Kipo came out to check on me and by the time we got back, the show ended. I'm really sorry I wasn't there to cheer you on."

Carla ran up to Ana and hugged her waist, something which startled Ana at first. She expected the macaw to be upset with her. After all, Carla was still a little chick. Didn't they tend to hold grudges over small things like this? Carla looked up at Ana, a smile on her face. "It's okay Auntie Ana. I wouldn't want you to stay if you were sick. Do you feel better now?"

Ana nodded her head, unsure if it would be crossing the line or not to pat Carla on the head. She decided not to, knowing how unpleasant it could be when someone invaded your personal space. Instead, she released herself from Carla's grasp. "Yes, thank you for asking. I had a good night's sleep and now I'm doing alright."

Jewel cocked her head, a bit confused by Ana's timeline of events. "You must have gotten back pretty late last night. We didn't see you in your tree when we got back home. I'll admit I felt a little worried since I saw you at the show minutes before Carla started to sing." Suddenly, things made more sense to Jewel as she thought of who Ana mentioned she'd been with after she exited the club. A sneaky smile formed on her beak and she winked at Ana. "Did you and Kipo go somewhere together after you left to help you relax so you'd get better quicker?"

Ana blushed, knowing she'd been snagged. Of course, she couldn't exactly tell them why she'd left the club last night. That would involve hashing out her tragic past, a story she never wanted to tell anyone again. After their romantic session, Kipo promised Ana he'd keep everything she'd let him know a secret at her request. "We went to the Christ the Redeemer statue to get out of the city for a bit. I guess we lost track of time, you know, talking and all."

Jewel nodded, a "yeah, sure" look on her face. Blu shifted his gaze between the two females, wondering what he'd missed. "What's going on Jewel? Why are you acting like that's weird?"

Jewel arched an eyebrow at Ana, hoping the macaw would catch her drift that she wanted to know whether or not it was okay to tell Blu about her and Kipo. Ana rolled her eyes and sighed, an exasperated look on her face. "Sure, go ahead. You're clearly dying to spill."

Jewel raised her wings in victory. "Yes!" Then, she turned to face Blu, who still looked lost, and revealed the news. "Kipo and Ana are dating!"

Blu's jaw dropped and he stared at Ana for a couple beats, processing this new information. Their children appeared to be just as shocked, none of them making a peep. Ana didn't know if this reaction should be interpreted as good or bad until Blu's smile widened to limits she didn't know could be done. "That's fantastic news! I'm so happy for you guys!"

"Us too!" Blu and Jewel's kids yelled in unison.

Tiago looked at Ana, an awestruck expression on his face. "Are you two going to get married?"

Ana laughed, embarrassed at being the center of attention all of a sudden. She looked down to the ground; it had been a long time since her acting days when the spotlight always turned on her. "We'll see little guy. I don't want to get ahead of myself. We've only been together for about a week now but I like Kipo a lot. He's very sweet and funny so who knows?" She shifted her attention to Blu and Jewel. "Maybe someday that toucan will be planning our anniversary party."

Blu gasped, a great idea coming to his mind. "You two should totally come as a couple to the celebration tomorrow night! It could be like your big public debut to all of our friends."

Ana chuckled and began her old nervous habit: twirling the long feathers atop her head with her wingtip. "That's nice of you to suggest Blu but I don't want to make tomorrow all about me. The event is supposed to be for you guys. I'll feel bad if I steal it from you."

Jewel waved a dismissive wing at Ana. "Nonsense, you'd be doing no such thing." She reached for Blu's wing to hold and he let her take it. Squeezing it, she continued: "There'll be plenty of time for all of us to have everyone looking at us and loving us."

Ana smiled and nodded her head. "Okay then, if you two are certain, I'd love to do that." She returned her attention to the bird of the hour, Carla. "So Carla, did you win last night? Oh, if you did I'm going to be triple sorry I missed seeing you sing."

Carla shook her head, her beak cringing just the tiniest bit. "No, I got third place. I'm still happy with how I did though. Some of the competition did pretty elaborate stuff."

This time, Ana did pat Carla on the back. Nothing wrong with that if you did it to show your support. "Well, you did your best and third place is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. I can't sing for nothing, so I can guarantee you I wouldn't have even made it past the auditions."

Blu walked over to the counter on the far right of the room where a portable stove sat. In the pan lay several leftover pancakes, still hot to the touch due to the device having been set to the "warm" setting. "Are you hungry Ana? There's still some pancakes left if you are."

Ana shook her head. "No thanks, I just ate breakfast back at home. I better be going anyway; I've taken up enough of your morning already."

"You're welcome anytime Ana," Jewel insisted. "We love it when you stop by."

"Goodbye Auntie Ana!" Blu and Jewel's children said together. "Please come back soon."

Ana giggled and waved goodbye to the Spix's macaw family she'd come to know so well. Deep down, she knew that they didn't know her and she always felt bad at times like these. They'd surely sing a different tune if they knew why she moved in at the beginning. Although, Ana could take comfort now in remembering that she decided to no longer work for Angel. Ana still needed to figure out everything with her and Kipo and her plan to leave Brazil. She had to do it soon before her safety became in danger but she'd sort it all out. "See you later! Have a great day guys!"

#

As Ana flew across the small area of vegetation that grew between her tree and her neighbors' she noticed a feather fall from a branch above her home. Ana cocked her head in confusion, thinking she recognized the color of it. She grabbed it as it drifted towards the ground and held it close to her eye for inspection. The feather, mostly green, also contained a tiny red stripe. Ana's heart started to pound as the realization hit her brain hard. She felt the familiar sensation of panic beginning to brew in her veins and she soared up high, out of view of the Spix's macaws.

While flapping her wings as fast as she could to reach the open sky where she couldn't be taken by surprise, she heard a whistle that stopped her cold. Ana closed her eyes and tried to ignore the shakiness in her body. She knew who she'd see when she turned around and opened them, but she wasn't prepared for this. _I haven't seen him in over a year and I don't want to see him. I've fallen in love with someone else and he doesn't know. How will I tell him? He'll be so hurt and he's unstable. I better not tell him. _

A million questions ran through Ana's mind as she turned to face him as slow as possible. The first thing she planned to ask the military macaw she laid eyes on was how exactly he found her and then what did he want? Angel couldn't be bothered to check on her himself now? Javier sat on a branch, an emotion in his eyes Ana couldn't quite pick out. He looked quite the same as he did a year ago. His feathers still green, his beak still pessimisstic about the cruel nature of creatures. Ana used to be the same way. They often bonded over their mutual hate for one species, though, Ana never told him why she disliked scarlet macaws so much.

Ana felt guilty for sensing the smallest rush of longing at the sight of him. She decided she couldn't be blamed. After all, when you spend that much time with someone you thought you loved, it's hard to stop liking them all at once. She landed on the branch next to him, figuring he wouldn't be much of a threat after all and crossed her wings. Ana tried her hardest to hide the hint of a smile on her beak. "Hey, what are you doing here? How'd you find my tree?"

Javier wouldn't look Ana in the eye, which puzzled her. He didn't answer her right away either. Now seeing him up close, Ana realized he looked a little depressed, confusing Ana even more. Javier glared at her, causing Ana's heart to restart its fierce drumbeat. Ana strained her ears to hear the military macaw who spoke so low, he was pretty much inaudible. "Angel sent me to stake out the samba club last night. He wanted me there so I could catch you when you left with the watch. That way neither of you would need to compromise the mission." Ana's pulse increased its tempo and she thought she felt sweat gathering under her wings, though, that couldn't be. Obviously, she never got the watch, which meant she was in big trouble.

Javier continued, the sadness in his eyes shifting to anger more and more with each word that left his beak. "I saw you leave and head for the statue. You looked upset but I just thought, maybe it was a close call and you were heading somewhere far away for the dropoff to ensure you went undetected." Then, Javier's beak curled into a vicious snarl and his large wings into fists. He looked like he wanted to punch the first thing he saw, making Ana back up a pace just in case she became his target. "I lost track of you along the way, so I searched and searched around the area but couldn't find you. Then, I heard him show up."

Ana's stomach dropped all the way to the floor of the jungle. She felt like she could vomit at any moment the mangoes she'd eaten for breakfast. Suddenly, it all made sense, why Javier looked so furious. Ana knew that she didn't even have to ask, that she shouldn't. After all, it's better not to poke the bear. However, against her better judgment, some force pried her beak open and let the words roll off her tongue. Her voice came out in a tiny whisper, like a child's who feared a monster lived in their closet. "W-what exactly did you see?"

Javier growled and his wings clenched and unclenched over and over again. His green feathers practically turned red with his rage. His response dripped with stabbing betrayal and venomous hatred, directed towards both the blue and gold macaw and her new lover. "Everything." Then, he rushed Ana, who let out an ear-piercing screech as she felt her back slam into the thick wood of the branch. Before Ana had a chance to do anything to defend herself, Javier slammed her neck into the wood once more, releasing a trickle of blood from a new wound. "I knew this would happen. I JUST KNEW IT!" Javier punched Ana across the face again and again, his eyes almost black with anger. Ana spit blood from her beak and tried to speak to calm the abusive bird, but he continued his rant. "You just couldn't keep it professional. You just couldn't get the damn watch and go! No, you had to go and put your filthy little wings all over his skinny, mishapened body!"

His wings now getting tired from all the blows he struck against the bird he loved once upon a time, he proceeded to wrap them around Ana's neck and squeezed. Ana choked and gasped, desperate for air. She attempted to unwind Javier's wings from her body, but she was too worn out from his attacks. Javier lowered his voice to a bone-chilling whisper as he listened to the life drain from his victim. "Do you know what it was like to listen to your girlfriend respond to another bird's touch in places you've never let me touch before?" Tears came to Javier's eyes and he released Ana, who went right to inhaling and exhaling as fast as she could manage to refill her lungs with precious oxygen. Javier wiped his eyes and raised a trembling wingtip in front of Ana's face. "No, you don't so I'll tell you. It hurt. It hurt more than anything I've ever felt before in my life. It hurt even worse than when my parents were killed because this time, I got stabbed in the heart by someone who I thought cared about me. How could you do that?"

Ana felt tears welling up inside as well, but she couldn't be sure whether or not they'd been caused by Javier's pain or from the large bruises that started to grow on her face. She knew she'd cheated on Javier and she felt bad when she did it, but why did he always have to get physical? Ana realized this was part of the reason she didn't have too many qualms about taking her and Kipo to the next level while still technically with Javier. She nodded her head and drew a wing around the edge of her beak to rid it of the gagging, metallic taste of her own blood. "I'll tell you how Javier. You just showed me how. You can't control your own anger. You can't handle anything without losing yourself in rage. Why should I have to be with someone who I need to walk on eggshells around, afraid I'll end up with more black and blue marks?"

Javier laughed and spit with disgust. "You've got to be kidding me. You're such a freaking drama queen; no wonder those humans chose you to be in their worthless commercials. You always act like you're being scarred for life by the tiniest little things." He pointed to himself to emphasize his next point. "I've actually been through some hard crap Ana! What have you had to deal with huh? Nothing, that's what! You're a total borderline!"

At that moment, all the emotions of that night came up from the darkest depths of Ana's soul and hit Javier full force. Anyone who witnessed what happened next wouldn't have believed the bird talking was Ana; she didn't look anything like herself. They'd have chalked it up to a demonic possession. "How dare you! You don't know anything about me! You don't know anything about my life! You want to talk hard crap Javier, how about getting assaulted and violated in a scummy bathroom in a club in some city where you didn't know where the hell you were! That enough for you?!"

Of course, Javier didn't react the way a kind, compassionate bird who actually owned a heart should. Instead, he made it all about himself. His eyes widened and he grinned, making Ana want to rip his beak off. "Now I get it! I never understood why you wanted to get revenge on scarlet macaws once we put together the device, but now everything makes sense." He motioned for Ana to follow him. "Come on, let's go find those items and get back to being a team, a couple. We can forget any of this ever happened." He held out a wing for Ana to take and smiled at her. "I forgive you for making a stupid choice; you just weren't thinking clearly at the time. I'll help you accomplish the mission you set out to-"

Javier's beak hit the floor as Ana slapped his wing away with stunning power. He stuck it in his mouth to cool the sting and narrowed his eyes into deadly pools of fury. He once again looked like he wanted to tear Ana's head off her shoulders. However, she wished to do the same to him. She shook her head, her whole body quaking with anger. "What makes you think I'd ever want to be with someone like you again? All you ever think about is hurting animals and getting revenge! The only thing that ever did for me was make me even more miserable. Exterminating the scarlet macaws won't reverse what happened to me that night, and the same thing with the jaguars, Javier. Your parents aren't going to rise from the dead."

Ana paused to take a deep breath and let it out. Wings on her hips, she continued but more calmly this time. "I have felt happier in the week I've known Kipo than I've felt since I got taken away from my parents. I'll never go back to you, Angel, or Manolo ever again. I'm done; I quit."

Javier laughed in Ana's face. He stomped his talon on the ground, doubling over in amusement. When he recovered, he began to tear her down even more. "You're so stupid, Ana! Aren't you forgetting that he doesn't even know why you asked him out in the first place?" He tapped a talon to his beak, an evil plan forming in his mind. "Maybe I'll tell him right before I cut off his wing to get that watch you failed time and time again to obtain."

Ana's face became a mask of terror and all color leaked out of her feathers, turning her as pale as a stork. However, she quickly got her spunk back. Ana refused to be pushed around by these villains anymore. "You won't be the one to tell him, because I will. The next time I see him, I'm going to tell him everything including Angel's plans. I bet he won't snap at me like you either, because he's five times the bird you'll ever be!"

Javier threw his head back and let out a murderous cackle, sending shivers down Ana's spine. He removed a thin, razor-sharp blade from the leather belt he always wore for battles and held it inches from Ana's eye. His own eyes shone with pure insanity. "Oh, I don't think so Ana. You will not interfere with our plans. If you do, I will slaughter your precious boyfriend and all those other imbeciles you've aligned yourself with at their little anniversary party tomorrow right in front of you."

Ana suppressed a gasp by covering her beak with her wings. "How did you know about that?"

Javier laughed wickedly once more and continued to hold Ana at knifepoint. "I've been hanging out here all day, waiting to pounce on you. Unfortunately, you decided to drop in on me first. Tomorrow night, you will get the watch from Kipo and deliver it to me. I will be crashing your pathetic event. Afterwards, you will be returning to the lair with me so Angel can deal with you personally. He is dying to have a word with you." Ana stared Javier down as he lifted himself off the branch and hovered just above her. "If you try to betray us again, I'll turn that toucan's grotto into a morgue."

When Javier finally left, Ana broke down in tears on the branch. She cried and cried until there were no more tears left. Her task appeared crystal clear. She needed to warn Kipo about Javier and after that the rest of her friends. Together, they'd be able to stop her former friends' evil before it spread across the entire city of Rio de Janeiro. Ana wiped her eyes and nodded her head in determination. "It's time to be a hero, Ana. If there was ever one thing you destined to do on this Earth, this is it."

Ana flew up to the very canopy of the jungle and landed on a treetop. Staring out at the horizon, she placed a wing on her heart. "Mom, Dad, if I don't make it out alive tomorrow, just know I love you and I'm sorry. I wish I could have spent more time with you, but I know I'll see you both again someday." She chuckled and wiped a tear from her eye. "You'd be proud of the bird I've become and it's all thanks to the kindest group of birds I've ever met in my life." Ana turned her head down to the jungle floor, where the Spix's macaw family lived somewhere below. "They saved me from myself and now it's my turn to save them."


	15. 15 The Calm Before The Storm

**Author's Notes**

**Everyone, you may have noticed a change to the cover image on this story. If not, please give it a look. This image was custom made for me by an extremely talented artist named Gale. He has a deviant art page on which his account name is G-Aryana007. His drawings of Rio characters and OCs are breathtaking. You must check them out; he deserves way more attention than what he gets. The picture he made for me is of Ana and Javier. It showcases the changing nature of their relationship from lovebirds to enemies. Monumental thanks to Gale for his hard work! It was much appreciated :)**

**Chapter 15: The Calm Before The Storm**

The next evening brought a sunset that turned every head in Rio towards its stunning beauty. Pinks and purples mixed together to paint the upper levels of the sky, while layers of yellow and orange covered the area closer to the horizon. Blu became lost in the flaming red ball as it sunk more and more out of his field of vision. He hoped this majestic event of nature proved to be a good omen for how the night would play out. Blu never went to things like this back in Minnesota; he'd rather stay inside and read a good book in his birdcage.

He reminded himself as he listened to the chirping of various other birds in the distance that he didn't have to be so nervous. After all, the celebration would only feature his friends, children, and best of all, Jewel. The only problem being he and she were the center of attention tonight, and Blu didn't like that. He tried to focus on his mate, who could be heard behind him telling the chicks to get ready to leave. The thought of her kind yet stubborn personality made Blu forget all his worries and a big smile came on his beak. As long as he kept Jewel within a wing's reach tonight, Blu knew he didn't need to even think about anything else. She'd calm him down with just one look into his eyes.

Blu jumped a bit at the sudden feeling of someone placing their wings on his shoulders and then sliding them down his chest. His heart rate relaxed when he realized the only bird capable of doing this right now was the one he just pictured in his brain. He could feel her gentle breath on his neck as she leaned her head further into the space under his beak. Blu kissed her cheek and removed himself from her grasp so he could turn around and face her.

Jewel didn't do anything special with herself that night and neither did Blu. After all, they were only going to a casual gathering with their pals, no need to get all blinged out. Still, as Blu stared into the two perfect, light-blue gems that Jewel owned as eyes, she looked gorgeous without even trying. His intense gaze made Jewel feel a little self-conscious and her cheeks turned a light shade of pink. Usually, nobody could knock her tough-girl image, but Blu managed to do just that to her all the time. He would make her feel emotions she rarely did before she met him. It was one of the things that attracted her to him the most. She took a step closer so her beak would touch his and whispered with a playful grin on her beak. "Why so serious Pet? It's not like we're going into battle or anything."

Blu shook his head to release his train of thought from the trance it trapped itself in and he began to fiddle with his wingtips. He mistook Jewel's joke as an actual criticism. "I'm sorry Jewel. I guess I'm a little anxious about having this party be all about us. I don't do this sort of a thing a lot, well, ever actually."

Jewel giggled and nudged his side to try to get him to loosen up a bit. "Don't worry Blu, there's nothing to be worried about. However, I guess if you weren't overreacting, we'd have to call the vet."

Blu rolled his eyes but the smile never faded from his face. "Haha Jewel, that was really funny," he said in a sarcastic tone.

She shrugged her shoulders and took one of Blu's wings in hers. Squeezing it, Jewel went for a message that Blu couldn't fail to understand. "Just have fun tonight Blu; that's the only reason Rafael wanted to plan this occasion. He's happy that we lasted this long. A year ago, I don't think I would have expected it either."

Blu arched an eyebrow, trying not to show that he'd been a little bit offended by what Jewel said. "Why? We work great together. We're an excellent team; I don't get why nobody ever had faith in us as a couple."

Jewel's eyes widened. She certainly wasn't succeeding in putting Blu in a more relaxed mood. "I never said we weren't Blu, and as far as other birds' doubts go I guess it was just since we came from such polar opposite backgrounds. Sure, differences often attract animals to each other but when two are really dissimilar, it becomes harder for them to get along." Jewel stroked one of her wings, wishing she could find something to do with them; they felt awkward sitting at her sides. "When we figured out that despite our pasts we shared many like qualities and even could settle our unique traits, I think that's why we're such a success story."

Blu nodded his head, understanding more now what Jewel attempted to say. "You're right Jewel. I love you and I always have. We saw past the little things and honed in on the big thing we have in common which is that we're crazy about each other." Jewel's smile grew at hearing Blu say this. She loved him too, more than any other bird on the planet. If anything ever happened to him, Jewel would be absolutely devastated. "I'll have a good time tonight Jewel because I get to be with you. That's all I need to be happy even in the darkest situation."

Jewel pulled Blu in for a long, passionate kiss. The sparks already flew between the Spix's macaws and the real festivities had yet to even begin. Blu wrapped his wings around his best friend and soulmate and kissed her even deeper; he never wanted to let her go. Maybe it'd be better if they bail on the party, he thought. They could always just have a cozy, relaxing night at home all by themselves. However, an impatient groan shattered the heated moment and the two lovebirds broke apart to see who interrupted them. When they looked down at their talons, they saw Carla standing in the middle of them, tapping her talon on the tree's bottom. If someone searched for the definition of annoyed in the dictionary, Carla's face would have popped up. "Um guys, are we gonna go anytime soon?"

Tiago walked towards his parents as well and stamped his feet on the ground. "Yeah! Rafael told me at the show that he'd be making a cake! I want cake!"

Jewel huffed, not liking being rushed in the least but she eventually caved and hoisted the two children up on her shoulders. "Fine, Daddy and I are ready to leave. I don't get why you're so excited for this dessert, though. All those human things are filled with fake sugar and that greasy yellow stuff."

"You mean butter honey." Blu couldn't help butting into the conversation. He hated when Jewel went off on speeches about things she didn't like about people. "Cake is actually really yummy. I got to eat some every year on Linda's birthday. You should really try some later."

Jewel stuck out her tongue, eliciting a laugh from Tiago. He never saw his mother do anything like that. She always acted so serious. "I'll pass Blu, but you can eat all the gross, processed garbage you want."

Blu opened his beak to respond but closed it when another voice entered in. "Mommy, Daddy, you two aren't fighting are you?" Both Blu and Jewel looked down to see Alicia staring up at them with wide, sad eyes that appeared ready to burst into tears. In her wings, she carried a few colored pencils and pieces of paper. All day long, she talked about how she couldn't wait to draw the waterfall that ran near Rafael's home.

An ashamed frown formed on both parents' beaks and Blu reached down to stroke Alicia's feathery crown. "No sweetie, of course not. We're just discussing whether or not we like this one thing. It's no big deal."

The small chick let out a relieved sigh and perked up again. She nodded her tiny head. "Okay, I just don't want you two to be mad at each other on your fun day."

Jewel shook her head, her back beginning to wear out from holding her two kids on it. She placed them back down on the wooden bark of the tree. "Don't worry Alicia, your Daddy and I are doing just fine." Jewel cupped a wing over her beak to make her voice louder and called into their home: "Bia, it's time to go!"

Bia jerked her head up right away and dropped the book she'd been busy reading down in front of her. "I'm coming!" she yelled as she ran towards her family. When she reached them, she bent over at the knees to catch her breath. "Ready everyone!" she announced, an eager grin on her face.

Blu nodded his head and looked at all the birds that stood around him. He placed his wings on his hips and prepared to give one last announcement. "Alright guys, the rest of our buddies we'll meet us at the grotto. Are we all ready to have some fun tonight?"

Everyone shouted a loud "YES!" in response."

"Well alright then!" Blu flapped his wings a couple times to loosen up his muscles and hopped out of the tree. Motioning for his family to follow him, he commanded: "Let's get flying!"

#

Remembering how dirty he'd gotten the last time he visited Rafael at night to drop off the flower at his home, Blu decided to fly over the thick patch of trees that grew near the toucan's grotto. The faces of the Spix's macaw family lit up with excitement as the clearing in front of Rafael's tree came into view. Blu stayed in front during the trip, so he landed first on the short grass in the area that acted as a yard for the toucan's naughty chicks.

When all the members of Blu's bunch touched down, Jewel began to look around, confused. "Where is everyone?" The open space surrounded by the trees lay devoid of any activity. At first, Blu wondered if Rafi still went through with throwing the party at this location, but that dilemma solved itself when he noticed the streamers and balloons hanging behind him. Wooden picnic tables laden with bowls of tropical fruit, pitchers of water and lemonade, and a two-tiered cake had been set up underneath the decorations.

Blu scratched his head, not quite sure why Pedro and Nico weren't manning the mini-DJ booth to his right that he assumed the two small birds brought along. "Yeah, I don't know. Maybe they're on their way to pick us up?"

Suddenly, the silence broke at the sound of loud voices that all shouted: "SURPRISE!"

The Spix's macaws jumped and began to laugh as their friends revealed themselves from their hiding places in the dense growth that the family skipped over on their flight. Rafael rushed over to the birds of honor and wrapped them up in a tight hug. Having learned from previous times that he often embraced them too hard, he released them quickly and beamed at them. "Happy anniversary lovebirds!" He gestured towards the whole setup behind them, his eyes a little nervous at what their reaction might be. "Well, what do you think? Do you like it?"

Jewel smiled and caught Rafael off guard by returning his hug. "You did a perfect job Rafael. Thank you for taking the time to do all this for us; you're a great friend."

Rafael's black feathered cheeks turned a bright pink and he looked away, hoping Eva didn't see what just happened. "It was nothing really. However, I put a lot of effort into that dessert over there." He pointed to the pastry, one layer each covered in icing the shade of blue that matched both macaws. "I found a cookbook in the samba club that Kipo used back when the place served food and spent all afternoon in the building's ancient kitchen trying to bake it. I apologize in advance if it doesn't taste so good amigos."

Blu chuckled and patted the toucan on the back. "Don't worry Rafi, I have low standards when it comes to food. Jewel on the other hand hates all human items, so don't take it personally if she doesn't eat any."

Jewel nodded her head, an apologetic look on her beak. "He's right I'm afraid, but the kids will love it. I can't believe Tiago isn't over there yet tearing it to pieces."

"Hey you two, happy anniversary!" someone called from behind them.

Blu and Jewel turned around to see their other four friends coming to greet them. The Spix's macaws waved at the group they hung out with, and Jewel moved a wingtip in front of each bird. "So, which one of you guys said it?"

Nico took off his bottle cap hat and held it to his chest. He bowed in front of the female before placing it on his head once more. "Guilty as charged baby bird." He held out a wing for Jewel to shake; however, to mess with him Jewel refused the gesture. Nico wasn't offended as they all could tell by the sly grin on his beak. "Pedro and I are at your service tonight. You will only hear music pertaining to romance, which will allow you to feel the rhythm of your heart and push you towards your next milestone."

Pedro winked at the Spix's macaw couple, a teasing glint in his eye. "Of course every now and then a party jam might be snuck in to liven the place up a bit." He nudged Blu in the side knowingly. "This one here gets wound a little too tight if his mind stays serious for too long."

Blu took a step back and felt his body tense up. "Hey, I can have fun!" He knew he sounded like a defensive whiner right then, but Blu didn't care. He got tired of birds thinking of him as someone who didn't know how to relax. Tonight, he aimed to prove them wrong.

"We'll see about that Blu." Ana tilted her head so that it rested on Kipo's shoulder, who stood right next to her. Grinning like a teenager whose crush just agreed to a date, he reached for Ana's wing and she let him hold it. Ana looked down at her talons, covered in mud. "I'll tell you right now if having fun meant seeing who could last longer in that swamp I stood in for a half hour, you'd win wings down."

The group of birds laughed and Blu nodded towards the other couple in Rafael's grotto that evening. "I didn't get a chance to tell you how happy I am for you two. I think it's great that you guys are going out with each other."

Rafael jumped between the spoonbill and Ana, eliciting a yelp from her. A zealous gleam in his eye, he said: "Just think if this goes well, I can be your party planner too!" He tapped his chin with a talon. "Maybe I'll start a whole business. "Rafael's Romantic Gatherings," I think I'll call it."

Rafael felt someone yank him away from the two birds and spin him around. When he found himself looking into the eyes of the keel-billed toucan, otherwise known as his wife, Eva, a sheepish grin came onto his face. Eva crossed her wings over her chest and gave her husband a disapproving stare. "Rafi, first of all, you're scaring them. Second of all, you are not opening a store in our home, so get that idea out of your crazy brain right now."

The male toucan nodded his head rapidly and backed away to a safe distance. "Yes my juicy mango, whatever you say." His eyes began to dart from left to right. "By the way honey, uh, what did you do with the kids?"

Eva shrugged her shoulders. "I dropped them off at that little puffball bird's house so she can babysit them. You know, Tiny? The children say she's a lot of fun; I'll pick them up when the celebration ends."

A huge sigh of relief came out of Blu and Jewel's beaks. Blu wiped a wing across his forehead. "Thank goodness, I won't have to worry about losing any feathers tonight."

Rafael chuckled and walked over to Blu. He placed a wing over Blu's back and punched him playfully. "I thought of everything amigo. The only surprises tonight will be happy ones, you'll see." He let go of Blu so he could raise his wings high in the air. Looking at the small group of birds in front of him, he announced: "Okay everyone, the time has come to let loose and have fun!"

#

An hour later, the party reached its peak. Everyone stood in a different part of the space outside Rafael's home. Some danced, others ate, but there wasn't a single bird who couldn't say they weren't enjoying themselves. The sun now gone from the horizon, Rafael turned on several strands of white outdoor lights that he'd found discarded in the dumpster behind the samba club. He laughed, pleased that they still worked despite having been thrown in the trash. "I knew I made the right decision by hanging these up; I just knew it!"

Blu twirled Jewel around on the grass, both macaws moving to the soft music that poured out of the speakers by the DJ station Pedro and Nico worked at the moment. The toucan caught his attention so Blu shouted over Jewel's shoulder: "Nice work Rafi! They look like our very own set of stars."

Jewel leaned in and kissed Blu, making him go red in the face. She fluttered her eyelashes at him and then shook her head. "Are you always going to feel shy around me Blu?"

Blu looked down at the ground as he continued to sway to the beat while holding onto Jewel's waist. "I don't know Jewel. I guess I just feel so lucky that you and I are together, you know, it still shocks me sometimes that this is all real. It's like I'm living a dream."

Jewel stopped dancing for a minute so she could lift Blu's chin up, forcing him to look at her. She smiled at him and pulled his beak towards hers so that the two touched. "I know I didn't give you a chance when we first met Blu, and I'm sorry for that. I made you feel like you weren't good enough to be with me, so it's really not hard to believe that you think you only changed my feelings for you because of luck. That isn't true at all. I fell in love with you because of who you are. You're wicked smart, funny, kind, and brave. It was my fault that I didn't realize it right from the start. I wish I didn't make you have to prove yourself."

Blu opened his beak to say something but no words came out. Jewel rarely admitted when she did wrong. Her stubborness held her back in that department. Blu knew hearing her apologize was a really big deal and he wanted to show his appreciation for her humility. So, he wrapped his wings around her once more and gave her a long, gentle kiss. All their friends thought the two only shared this moment due to the song having just ended, so they cheered for the cardinal and canary.

Pedro bowed from the edge of the booth. "Thank you, thank you! We'll be here all night. There'll be more lovin', just y'all wait and see!"

The two macaws ignored everyone around them as they separated and Pedro dropped the next record on the player. Blu stroked Jewel's face, causing her to close her eyes with pleasure. "Thank you Jewel. That means a lot to me and I forgive you."

Jewel kissed Blu's wing and giggled. She moved his wings back down to her waist and cocked her head to catch his attention. "Come on, these birds seem to want a show. Let's teach them all how to shake their tailfeathers."

A wide grin spread across Blu's face in response, and he dipped Jewel to the ground. This earned a whistle of approval from Eva who snacked on a banana near the refreshment table. He winked at Jewel, the dormant, fun side of his personality coming to the surface. "Way ahead of you."

#

Meanwhile, on the other side of the clearing near Eva, Blu and Jewel's children sat on the ground together. Carla mumbled to herself as she listened to the hip-hop music on her earbuds. When the event started earlier, she'd been excited thinking Pedro and Nico planned to play the tracks they did at the club. However, by mushy tune number five, Carla realized this would be all she'd hear that night and pulled out her MP3. Alicia crawled over to her older sister and tapped on her shoulder with a pencil. Carla removed an earbud, sound coming out of it, and turned around to glare at her sister. "What?"

Alicia shrank back, hurt by Carla's aggressive tone. She looked down at the paper in her hand and began to toss it from wing to wing to avoid eye contact. "Um," she said in a meek voice, " can I go over to the waterfall behind Uncle Rafael's house? I really want to draw it and add it to my collection. I'd ask Mom and Dad but I don't want to bother them right now while they're dancing."

Carla groaned and put the miniature headphone back in her ear. She shooed Alicia away with her wing. "Yeah, sure. Go have fun or whatever." She snuck a peek at the table above them where Tiago perched, chowing down on a huge piece of cake. Blue frosting covered his beak. Carla rolled her eyes. At least he wasn't the one bothering her right now.

Alicia clutched her materials to her chest, brightening now that Carla gave her permission. "Thanks!" Then, she hopped off into the trees that encircled the celebration, disappearing not long after. On her way over, Alicia passed Kipo and Ana, both too distracted by their lip-lock to see the toddler wobble by.

Kipo removed his big, thick bill from Ana's beak and ran a wing through her long feathers. He wanted to move them away from her face so he'd be able to look into her magnificent eyes. However, when he took in her gaze, he frowned a little. Ana appeared to be concerned about something. She kept trying to look away from him, an action very unlike her. Kipo stroked her back, going for a "you can tell me anything" expression. "Hey, what's the matter? You seem upset."

Ana turned away from Kipo, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. She felt so anxious; she thought she might throw up any second. Of course, to do that she'd actually have needed to be calm enough to eat anything today. The second she arrived at Rafael's grotto, Ana searched for where Javier could be hiding out, but she hadn't been able to even detect a trace of him. He could be right behind them and she'd have no clue.

She shifted her head once more to look into Kipo's questioning eyes. He looked so worried for her, but would that change when she told him the truth? Ana knew she talked tough last night to Javier, acting as if Kipo would stick by her no matter what, but could that be untrue? _The only way to know is by coming clean. If he doesn't want to help you, fine. It'll serve you right for lying to him. You'll have to face the music without an ally. _Ana let out a huge breath and shook her feathers, getting ready to talk. "I am. Look, there's something I really need to tell you and I need to do it now."

Kipo nodded his head in understanding; however, his heart rate quickened. Clearly, Ana had something serious on her mind. He hoped no bad news would come out of her beak, like, for example, she planned to leave Rio. "Okay, what is it?"

Ana shook her head and grabbed onto Kipo's wings. She pulled him to a standing position and started to lead him into the dark, suffocating jungle growth. "Not here, it has to be in private. I haven't been honest with you."

Kipo's stomach dropped and he let go of Ana's wing. Surrounded by all the plants, he felt like the world closed in around him. He crossed his wings over his chest, his voice dropping an octave with suspicion. "What-what do you mean?"

Ana closed her eyes, her insides swirling around as if they'd been chucked into a washing machine. She prayed Kipo wouldn't dump her after she told him everything, but she couldn't be dishonest any longer. Ana loved him and she didn't want their relationship to have been built on lies. "Do you remember the story I told you about Mexico City?"

Kipo nodded his head, trying to stay calm. He knew from last time that Ana eventually got to the point, but she liked to make sure she set up all the background information first. "Yes, is this going to be a long story? I'd like to get to the part where you didn't tell me the truth. I certainly hope you're not going to say you fabricated what the scarlet macaw did to you."

Her jaw dropped but she managed to control her anger at having such an appalling accusation hurled at her. She reminded herself that Kipo had every right to doubt her. He didn't know what to believe, but he'd find out soon enough. Ana shook her head vehemently. "Absolutely not. In fact, what I'm going to say next directly links to that. You may have noticed that I never told you exactly how I ended up in Rio."

Kipo took a moment to think back on the conversations he and Ana took part in since they'd met, and now that she pointed it out, he realized she did skip out on that piece of her past. "Why wouldn't you tell me that?"

Ana looked down at the ground, wings held behind her back. She told herself not to start crying, even though it was painful to recall. _You don't want him to think you're trying to earn pity points._ "Well, after the scarlet macaw happened, I felt like giving up. Growing up in captivity my whole life, I didn't know how to find food in the wild and by that point I didn't really try. Eventually, I just decided to sit down in an alley and when my time ran out, then that was it."

Upon hearing such a thing, Kipo's eyes softened and he rushed forward to hug the bird he loved more than anything else in the world. A tear slid down his cheek, leaving a gray mark on his flawless white feathers. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that Ana. I can't imagine feeling so low you'd think about something like that. I'm so, so sorry."

Ana removed herself from his grip, earning a stunned look from the spoonbill. She couldn't let him cry for her anymore. "I can guarantee Kipo that you'll never feel sorry for me again after I tell you this."

Kipo's face hardened into a block of stone and he wiped the tear from his eye. He felt his anger beginning to rise and he started to tremble from nervousness towards what Ana might say. "It's that bad?"

Ana nodded. "While I laid in the street just waiting to die, I heard someone approaching. Now, after the club incident I'd been jumpy as all hell, so when I saw this huge falcon walking in my direction I went into full-on panic mode." Kipo just listened to Ana, not wanting to interrupt her any further. He had a feeling this falcon played an important role in whatever Ana lied to him about. "He told me not to worry, that he wouldn't hurt me. Of course, I didn't really trust him, but I'd hit rock bottom. I was all alone in a foreign land and completely helpless. So, when he offered to teach me how to hunt for food and a place to stay, I couldn't refuse." She tapped her wingtips together, knowing the bad part came closer and closer. "However, there was a catch."

Kipo arched a curious eyebrow. "What sort of a catch?"

Ana cringed, making her face scrunch up. She knew saying this out loud would sound totally ridiculous. Every day of her life she regretted not being bothered to learn the ways of the wild herself. "I had to come to his hangout in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and help him find some things he needed to put together a device that would allow him to take over the city."

Kipo's eyes widened and he couldn't help but laugh in disbelief. "Are you serious?"

Ana chuckled as well, but she knew this happy mood wouldn't last. "Believe me, I thought he was joking at first too, but he just looked at me all serious and asked if I wanted his help or not." She shrugged her shoulders. "I said yeah because it was either that or die. This bird was the last chance I had at surviving, and I wanted to show that scarlet macaw that he didn't break me."

Ana looked down at the ground, her shame growing further. "As a matter of fact, the falcon told me that after I helped him take over Rio, he'd allow me to kill all the scarlet macaws I wanted."

Kipo couldn't hide his disgust towards such a thing. His face appeared as if he became sick to his stomach at the sight of her. "Ana, how could you even think of doing something like that to innocent creatures? I understand wanting to hurt your tormentor but birds that had nothing to do with it?"

She covered her eyes with her wings, unable to look into Kipo's judging eyes. "Look, I know that, but you have to understand that I was angry. I wasn't thinking straight, otherwise I wouldn't have accepted help from a stranger. I wouldn't have snuck into the cargo hold of a plane heading for Rio, and I definitely wouldn't have fallen in love with the military macaw that worked for the crazy bird!"

Kipo opened his bill to retort but slammed it shut as a small spark ignited in his brain. The singular light spread from neuron to neuron until Kipo's entire mind hummed with activity, recalling the one military macaw that stuck out in his memory like a sore thumb, Javier. He shook his head, not wanting to even consider the possibilty, but the more he dwelled on it, the more the pieces of the puzzled joined together. Javier said he needed something from Jewel that day to make his boss happy. Could it be possible that… "Are you talking about the bird that attacked us in the samba club last year?"

He searched her face, hoping she'd turn as red as a tomato with fury and start screaming at him. How dare you even insinuate such a thing, he prayed Ana would yell. However, she just nodded her head, her face betraying not one emotion. Kipo's mouth hung open just a little, tears coming to his eyes. He couldn't, no he refused to believe this was true. Ana, the most perfect bird he'd ever met in his life, lied this whole time? "Yes Kipo, when Javier went after you all in the club that day, I was still dating him. He sought the flower Jewel wore on her head that day, and he would have gotten it if you hadn't interfered."

Kipo just stood, frozen and slack-jawed. Try as he might, he couldn't wrap his mind around all this. If that was the case, then that meant other things too. It followed that Ana only pretended not to know who any of them were when she came to the samba club that day. She'd been aware of them for a long time and all the pain her boyfriend caused them. Yet, she managed to act as if she and they were the best of friends. How sick could you be to do something like that? Kipo wondered something else too. "Did you move next door to Blu and Jewel just so you could spy on them? Do they have something else your evil boss needs and you're just biding your time until you can strike?"

"Yes and no." Ana could tell Kipo still didn't understand and that she'd need to elaborate, but she didn't want to. Doing so would mean admitting the worst part of the story out loud. But really, what did it matter? Kipo clearly thought of her as a pathological liar right now; would he even be surprised at the last bit of information? Ana wrapped herself in her wings, a tremulous shiver escaping her beak. "Yes I did move in by Blu and Jewel to keep an eye on them, but they don't have what Angel, the falcon, needs." She shifted her gaze to the gold watch she'd seen Kipo wear every day since she'd first laid eyes on him. "You do. You have it on your wing right now."

Kipo's eyes drew immediately to his watch, and on instinct he covered the object with his other wing. Everything became crystal clear, and he could no longer hold back his emotions. Rage coursed through every vain in his body. He pointed a shaking wing at Ana, his voice laced with hatred for the macaw. "You've been using me this whole time just so you could get your wings on this. This entire time we've been dating, while we mated, nothing was real." He shook his head and began to walk away, not willing to be within a mile of her anymore. "You never loved me."

Ana ran after him and grabbed onto the spoonbill's long, pink and white wing. Tears grazed her huge eyelashes, threatening to overflow. "Kipo-" she started to plead.

He swatted her wing away and turned on her, his eyes burning with fury never before seen by Ana. She didn't know Kipo could even be capable of this level of anger. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" he bellowed. "I never want to see you again! Run back to your real boyfriend, that wicked macaw. You two deserve each other. I can't believe I ever felt sorry for you Ana. You're a terrible bird; you're no better than that scarlet macaw!"

Ana's beak fell so low, she thought it might have broken off her face. The tears now came forth like water that surged out of a broken dam. She couldn't let him leave; he didn't know the danger that awaited him in the jungle. Ana called after him, her vocal cords straining so much her throat hurt. "He's here Kipo! Everyone at that party is in danger! We have to stop him!"

Kipo stopped walking and looked over his shoulder at Ana, the look in his eyes shifting to fear. He could feel his heart start to pound in his chest, remembering the last time he suffered a vicious head wound at the wings of Javier. Then, Kipo looked down at his wing, the watch staring him right in the face. He nodded his head, resolution setting on his beak. "He's after me right?"

Ana wiped the pool of salty liquid away from her eyeballs so she could see what lay in front of her. When she did so, her eyes narrowed in on something that stuck out of one of the dark green, leafy bushes nearby. Kipo took note of her intense gaze and followed Ana as she approached the edge of a pink object that could just be seen under the plant. Ana removed it from underneath a leaf, making it rustle as she withdrew her wing. Recognizing what she found, both birds let out an audible gasp. "Is that-" Kipo started to ask.

Ana nodded her head, in just as much shock as he was. "It is." The pink flower that caused both birds so much pain and trouble over the years looked at them, almost laughing at the great misery it brought them. Ana's face became overtaken by determination and she began to march towards the party. "We need to show this to everybody. We have to warn them about Javier."

Kipo's bill curled in confusion and he jogged to step in front of Ana. When she attempted to sneak around him, he stretched his wings to block her. "Wait, I don't understand. You're one of the bad guys, so why aren't you taking that to Javier?"

Ana smiled and placed Kipo's wings back down to his sides. She felt her cheeks heating up, and she began to twirl the feathers on her head around her wingtip. "Actually, I quit last night. Plus, I don't know if you ever thought about this Kipo, but if I really wanted to steal that watch from you, I could have done it a long time ago." Ana took a step closer to Kipo, and to her surprise, he didn't back away. In fact, he moved towards her so that their beaks touched. "It may be true that when I first asked you out, my motives weren't pure. However, by our first date, I'd fallen for you, Kipo. I know you're never going to forgive me for what I did, but if I'm really never going to see you again I want to leave you with knowing one thing. I loved you more than any other bird on the planet."

Then, what happened next was nothing short of a miracle to Ana. Kipo embraced her and kissed her. Ana melted into his bill and kissed him again and again. She moved her wings up and down his chest, dying to feel every single inch of him. Kipo squeezed Ana tighter and tighter until he couldn't do it anymore without suffocating her. When the two finally pulled away from each other, both held silly grins on their faces. Despite everything Ana did to him, Kipo couldn't deny that he still loved her. He moved the feathers that always got in her eyes away from her face. "I forgive you Ana."

Ana shook her head and took Kipo's wing in hers. "You don't have to do that."

"No, I really mean it Ana. We all lose our way at some point in life. What you did today is one of the strongest things I've seen anyone do." Kipo stared into Ana's eyes, more serious than he'd ever been. "Not only did you confess everything, you got up the courage to walk away from someone who could really hurt you. I promise I won't let that happen. We'll go back to the party and warn everyone; we'll stop Javier and Angel together. Then, you and I will live happily ever after next door to our best friends."

Ana could feel tears coming to her eyes once more, but this time from joy. This all seemed like some sort of wonderful dream. She'd been right about Kipo. He really was the best bird in the world, and she couldn't wait to see the look on Javier's face when he realized that Kipo stood by her side through it all. _Just like he promised me he would. "_What are we waiting for? Let's go before Javier shows up wielding that knife of his."

Kipo nodded his head and held onto Ana's wing. The two then raced through the jungle together, hoping that by the time they returned to the celebration, they weren't too late.

#

When Kipo and Ana finally broke through the edge of the trees into the clearing, everyone present turned their heads to gawk at the two birds. They were completely out of breath and bent over at the knee, panting. Rafael flew over to the couple and placed a wing on Kipo's back. "Amigos, what's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost." Ana breathed in and out, wiping a tired wing across her forehead. Before she could respond, Rafael's eyes grew as big as saucers, and he pointed a trembling wing at the object Ana held. "Ana, you need to put that back. That flower is supposed to stay hidden."

That got Blu and Jewel's attention and the macaws bolted over at light speed. Jewel looked from Blu to Rafael to Ana, trying to make sense of the situation. Finally, her gaze settled on the blue and gold macaw. Jewel gulped and her voice came out cracked and worried as she began to speak. "How did you two find that?"

Now the rest of the gang approached to see what had everybody so flustered. Pedro placed his wings on his hips and tried to fly around all the tall birds to get a better look at the item under the microscope. "Whatcha got there hot wing that's ruffling everyone's feathers? This is a party, we should be chillin' and havin' fun right now!"

Ana shook her head, her eyes reflecting the terrified emotions she felt inside. "Having fun is the last thing that is going to be on everyone's mind after I tell you all this." She turned to look at the toucan, cardinal, and canary, ignoring Rafael's wife and the Spix's macaw children. Right now, she wished the kids were anywhere but here. Their legs quaked with fear and they looked like they had a million questions to ask. However, Ana couldn't answer one of them at the moment. "That military macaw who ambushed the club last year is here." She held up the flower for everyone to see. "He's looking for this and the watch on Kipo's wing."

Blu placed a wing in front of Ana to silence her, a confused frown on his beak. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up. He's here? How do you two know that, and how do you know he wants Kipo's watch?"

Ana hung her head in shame and braced for the interrogation she knew would come her way. "I used to work for Angel, his boss. It was my job to get the watch from Kipo and bring it back to him. However, I no longer obey his orders and Kipo and I have come to warn you all."

A collective gasp arose from the group of birds present, Jewel's the loudest of all. Anger and betrayal entered her eyes and she grabbed Ana by the neck, causing Ana to squeal with fright. "You mean you lied to us? I left you alone with my kids and this whole time you were one of the bad guys? I ought to claw your eyes out!"

"Jewel stop!" Kipo lunged forward and pushed Jewel away from his girlfriend. He held Ana to himself protectively and glared at Jewel who returned his look with one equally as withering. "She just said she's not on their side anymore. If she wanted to hurt us, she'd be letting Javier crash our party for the second time."

Jewel shook her head and allowed Blu to embrace her, the same way Kipo did to Ana. She buried her face in her mate's shoulder, trying to keep her voice steady so she didn't sound weak. "That doesn't change the fact that she lied to us."

"HEY!" Rafael yelled, drawing every bird's attention to him. He held a stern expression on his massive bill, a face the carefree toucan rarely made. "There is a psychotic murderer somewhere in the trees around us, so maybe we should save the arguing for later and make a plan about how we're going to defend ourselves."

"I'm afraid the time for that has run out, big nose!" someone hissed from behind them.

The group of friends' breath caught at the sound of the voice many of them heard before. With so many hearts thudding at once, one could have mistaken the celebration for a drum concert in the woods. Each bird turned around as slow as possible, wanting to prolong the inevitable. However, nothing could prepare them for what they saw when their bodies did a full 180 degrees. Jewel let out a horrible scream and fell to her knees, her eyes filling with tortured tears.

Standing in front of them, with his signature leather belt around his waist, was Javier. A delighted grin spread across his face, for in each wing he held something that he knew would guarantee his victory today, In one wing, he grasped a gun trained on his enemies in front of him. In the other, his wing wrapped around the neck of Alicia, Blu and Jewel's youngest daughter, his knife to her throat. Alicia looked at the gathering of birds with horror equivalent to that of a deer who'd been caught in the headlights. "M-mommy, D-daddy," she whimpered, "he's gonna kill me."


	16. 16 Bird? He's More Like A Snake

**Chapter 16: Bird? He's More Like A Snake**

The night sky seemed to grow darker with the arrival of the new danger in the region. The group of birds who partied without a care most of the evening could almost sense an eerie silence that descended on Rafael's grotto. Their hearts pounded in their chests as they all stared down the barrel of the gun that belonged to Javier, the evil military macaw who tortured them all for so long. Now, he held the upper wing with the little chick he carried under his shoulder. Alicia whimpered and tried to back away from the sharp knife, but Javier only pressed it closer to her feathers.

No one moved a muscle for a couple of beats as Javier's smile grew wider. At last, he'd get his wings on the spoonbill's watch and regain control of that flower. Nobody would be able to stop him this time. He shifted his gaze over each one of his enemies, some looking frightened, some angry, some hysterical in Jewel's case. For the second time since he met her, Javier witnessed the side of her personality that Jewel hid from most of the world, her fear that she'd be hurt like when he killed her mother.

Javier couldn't help digging his claws further into the birds he held hostage. He let out a murderous cackle and his eyes shined bright with sadism. "Well, well, well, Jewel. It would seem you just can't catch a break with little old me, huh?" Javier fluttered his eyelashes as if there wasn't a creature on the planet more innocent than him. "First, I bashed in your mother's skull, then I almost smashed your eggs, and now I'm going to slit your daughter's throat! It's like I'm a disease you just can't cure no matter how hard you try." He brushed the top of Alicia's head with the pointed edge of the blade, releasing a terrified scream from the child. Javier grinned at the sound; he couldn't be happier that he was causing everyone so much pain and suffering.

Jewel; however, couldn't take any more abuse, nor could she watch her daughter's life be threatened. She curled her wings into fists and took heavy, furious breaths. If looks could kill, Javier would have fallen over dead, but alas, things weren't going to be that easy. Jewel let out her best intimidating screech and began to charge Javier. She ran as fast as she could, ignoring the pleading calls of her friends to stop. Teardrops hung from her eyelashes as she continued to sprint; she would never forgive herself if she didn't do anything to save her child.

Javier didn't look bothered in the least by Jewel's approach. All he needed to do to make Jewel freeze in her tracks was cut Alicia's cheek with the weapon, making the tiny bird yelp in pain and terror. Javier laughed, the pleasure clear on his face for all to see, while Jewel seethed with rage in front of him. The remaining adults moved closer to Javier as well, but stopped where Jewel did. The military macaw waved a teasing wing in front of the collection of grown-ups, the rest of Blu and Jewel's chicks cowering behind everyone. He stepped back a pace and did not even flinch with the gun in his wing. He gestured with his head to Alicia, who now let out quiet sobs as a thin river of blood trickled down her feathers. "I wouldn't try anything stupid, you filthy Spix's macaw, if you want your daughter to remain alive."

Blu's anger began to reach new heights too. He refused to let anybody talk to Jewel like that. The time now came to be a man and stand up for his mate and kids. Lives were at stake here; he wouldn't sit idly by and let Javier destroy his family. Blu stepped forward, earning a sarcastic smile from the military macaw. He knew what type of bird Blu was. He talked tough sometimes, but he couldn't back up his words with actions. Blu would never lay a wing on him. Blu pointed a wing at the bird who towered just above him, but Blu wasn't affected by his size. He just tried to imagine Javier wearing white underwear with red polka dots. Linda always told him to do that whenever he got nervous. "Listen, you big bully! You don't talk to my wife like that. You better let my daughter go right now before I take that gun and smash it over your freaking hollow head!"

Javier rolled his eyes at Blu, way less than impressed. He shook his head and moved the wingtip that held Alicia to his mouth. On it, he caught a couple drips of blood and longed to taste the prelude to the meal he'd enjoy with the master predator, Angel, later. Pedro's white feathers turned green and he vomitted in a nearby bush, disgusted by the macaw's actions. When he finished and wiped his beak, Pedro hid behind Nico, who looked ready to hurl as well. "Dawg, that is ten shades of nasty," Pedro whined.

Javier licked his beak, savoring the salty, chemical flavor of Alicia's blood. It tasted different than most of the species of birds whose meat Angel shared with him from time to time. Wait until he learned that Javier caught dinner this time, the falcon would be so surprised. It might even lessen the blow when the fool realized Javier's plans to betray him. He sighed and then returned his attention to the group in front of him. "I hope you didn't mind me taking a little snack break, but I've never gotten to indulge in a rare Spix's macaw before. Of course, this runt isn't nearly enough to fill one bird, let alone two. I'm going to have to run this knife across the torsos of two birds a little bit bigger." He eyed Blu and Jewel who now visibly shook from their heavy emotions. He shrugged his shoulders. "Though, I suppose I won't commit any mass murders until you meddling imbeciles give me what I want."

Rafael turned his head to look at the two birds that stood to his left. The toucan knew a lot about reading birds' faces. It helped when trying to figure out if any romantic sparks existed between two animals. It wasn't hard to tell that even though Kipo tried to look like Javier wasn't giving him a heart attack, Rafael knew he only acted this way to put on a show for Ana. Speaking of the blue and gold macaw, revealed to be a former spy for their enemies, she rested in Kipo's protective wings, appearing so nervous she might wet her feathers.

His eyes fell on the flower Ana tucked under one of Kipo's wings, a futile attempt at hiding the object from Javier. Rafael could tell without a shadow of a doubt they held what the military macaw wanted and he wouldn't let him have it. Rafael stamped a talon on the ground, drawing everyone's attention to him, and causing Eva to gasp with hright. "Nice try Javier, but we weren't born yesterday. The flower and watch are the only pieces of leverage we have. If we pass them to you, there is no guartantee you will let Alicia live. Not to mention, you've already explicitly said you planned to murder each one of us, so there is no way we trust you right now."

Ana lifted her trembling head to look into the deep brown eyes of the military macaw she once locked beaks with. Her heart pounded as she remembered days long gone by where they worked together, both having the same goals: world domination and a genocide of a different species. Once upon a time, Ana could have been found curled up on the ratty, old couch in the abandoned building her comrades called home, snuggling next to Javier for warmth. They'd watch her favorite shows together, be there for each other when Angel lost his temper, and kiss until they fell asleep, Ana's wing stroking Javier's greased down feathery crown.

But now, things changed. In fact, more than the circumstances, she herself changed. Ana couldn't help but think sometimes if she'd been met in the alley that day by someone like Kipo, Blu, Jewel, or Rafael, would she ever have gone to the dark side? Ana wanted more than anything to be able to save Javier from himself right now. He'd been under just as much trauma as she endured and, they'd both been brainwashed by Angel. Maybe, just maybe, she could talk some sense into him. Anything was possible.

Ana released herself from Kipo's wings. She took a step closer to Javier, pretending not to hear Kipo's desperate screams for her to come back to him, that she'd be killed. Javier's beak gaped ever so slightly and in that moment Ana knew, he didn't expect her to be brave like this. Ana smiled, trying to remind the military macaw of who they'd been when they were still together. Back then, Javier could actually be decent once in a while. His vicious side only became more pronounced when he sought to prove himself to Angel. She took a deep breath, hoping Javier didn't see through her, that now she feared what he might do to her. She needed him to think she felt strong and couldn't be fazed by anything. "Javier, you don't want to do this."

Javier cracked up laughing so hard that tears came to his eyes. Ana could sense the shudders of discomfort from her friends behind her, but she felt no such sensation. Perhaps the reason being she thought Javier held her to a different standard. Because of their past, he would be less inclined to cause her harm. Wiping his eye, Javier regained his composure and spoke as if Ana told him a funny joke. "Wow Ana, could you say anything more cliche?" His tone shifted to much more mocking as he repeated her words. "You don't wanna do this, what a load of crap! If memory serves, you were the one who wanted this. You wanted the power the finished device provides just as much as the rest of us. Those birds corrupted you! If it hadn't been for that ridiculous mission, you'd still be my girlfriend. Mr. Beanpole over there wouldn't have stolen you away from me!"

Ana shook her head, not liking the path the conversation headed down so far. However, she wouldn't give up on Javier. He meant too much to her to allow him to self-destruct like this. "That couldn't be further from the truth Javier; these birds saved me. They helped me realize that all I needed to get over that pain was to find someone who cared about me. Angel doesn't care about us Javier; he really doesn't. He's not going to let you get the revenge you want so badly. You should help us stop him."

She inched closer to Javier so that her wing made contact with his chest. At first, Javier pulled away, but she could tell that the emotionless mask on his face was just that, a mask. Ana noticed that Javier thought about what she said, and she knew just what to do to drive it home for him. She looked up into his eyes and smiled at him. He avoided her eye contact so that he met the tree to his right. If Javier didn't do this, he worried he might break down in front of her. "Do you really think your parents would have wanted to raise you like this Javier? You're about to kill a child. What makes you any better than those jaguars who orphaned you that day? Angel twisted you inside and out, and now you've stooped down to their level. He stripped you of your conscience and turned you into a soulless animal."

Ever so slowly, Ana reached up towards the wing that held the knife to Alicia's throat and began to move it back. Javier didn't try to stop her as Alicia's fearful whining lessened. He stood stock still as Blu and Jewel's chick sped like a cheetah across the African savanna into the waiting arms of her mother. A single tear slid out of his eye and landed on the edge of Ana's beak. She giggled and shook the droplet off of her. From behind, Ana could hear the joyful screams of her friends. Some hollered congratulations to her, others comforted Alicia, and even the occasional bird asked what now?

Ana knew what to do. She leaned on the claws of her talons to gain the necessary bit of extra height and planted a kiss on Javier's cheek. Dropping back onto the ground, Ana hoped Kipo didn't mind this gesture, but the military macaw deserved an award for doing the right thing for the first time in so long. "I'm proud of you. I knew that deep down inside those feathers that monster of a falcon didn't extinguish your heart completely." Ana wrapped her wing around the one Javier used to hold his gun and moved it down to his side. Now that her friends were no longer in any imminent danger, she gave Javier's wing a supportive squeeze. "Hey, do you remember when I said that all it took to turn me around was to find someone who cared? I'll be that bird for you Javier. Things won't be exactly the same as they were before, but we can still be friends. In fact, we'll be the very best of friends."

Javier nodded his head, a grin on his beak. Ana couldn't recall the last time she'd seen him this happy. Finally, Javier had been free of the spell Angel placed on him and all thanks to her. A giddy smile settled on her own beak. Yeah, she made all this possible. Javier spread his wings apart, to give her a hug, Ana thought. She accepted without hesitation, allowing the military macaw to wrap her in his familiar embrace. As she relaxed on his soft shoulder, she felt Javier turn his beak towards her ear. His breath tickled the back of her neck, causing tingles to run up and down her spine. He started to whisper in her ear, his voice sweet and kind. "Thank you Ana. You really are a one of a kind bird. You're brave, smart, compassionate, and something very special."

Ana nuzzled Javier's neck with her beak, feeling like the coolest bird on the planet for having done such an impossible deed. "What's that?"

Javier leaned in just a pinch more, so that even though he whispered, Ana could hear the single word loud and clear. "Gullible." Ana's eyes widened, but before she could fight him off or scream, he spun her around and wrapped a strong wing around her neck, preventing any escape. With his other wing, Javier now placed the gun to the side of Ana's head. He shook her body until the flower tucked into her feathers floated down in front of his talon. With one swift motion, he used his claw to seep the plant up and into a ruffle of feathers. He lifted his head back and let out a malicious cackle. "Mwahahahaha! I've done it! I've outsmarted all you fools! One item down and one to go."

The group of birds in front of Javier jerked their heads up so fast it was a wonder nobody's neck broke. Blu, who cradled Alicia in his wings, lost all color in his feathers at the sight of the new bird Javier held hostage. His beak hung open in disbelief. "Oh my God."

No one; however, looked more upset and confused at what to do than Kipo. The spoonbill appeared to be in a state of shock, his eyes open so wide the lids could no longer be seen. His pulse raced like a car around a track, and his bill kept opening and closing. Javier could tell the bird died to say something but couldn't form a coherent sentence, a fact which delighted the villainous macaw. "I can't believe you guys! You really thought I'd changed, just like that? Well, you're all missing one important fact, and Ana I hope you're listening because I'm about to debunk your whole argument."

Ana squirmed in Javier's vise grip, trying to break free. Her face scrunched into a ball of exertion as she moved her body with all her effort. Unfortunately, her attempts only ended in vain; the macaw proved to be too strong. "You see," Javier began, "contrary to popular opinion, I'm not doing all this for revenge. No, I am in for the power." Javier couldn't help but laugh at the confused faces of everyone present in front of him. They never failed to surprise him in just how stupid they all were. "Everyone thinks I'm some hopeless fool who follows in my master's footsteps unquestioningly. What you all don't know, what Angel doesn't even know, is that I plan to betray him. Once all four items have been uncovered, I will kill him and keep the device all to myself. Then, I will use it to make me so invincible; I will be able to take over all of Rio de Janeiro. Not one of you will have any hope of stopping me."

Everyone stared back at Javier, stunned. All this time they underestimated him, thinking of him as nothing more than a weak underling. Now, they realized he posed a real threat. His bumbling behavior nothing more than an act, they figured he constructed this fake identity so Angel wouldn't suspect a traitor in his ranks. Ana stopped fighting and shifted her gaze to meet Javier's cold, calculating eyes. He winked at her, so she spit with disgust at his face. "I can't believe I actually thought you could be redeemed. I gave you the benefit of the doubt by placing sole blame on Angel. Now I see this is just who you are, a greedy, selfish, evil monster. You won't get away with this Javier. We'll all beat you."

Javier just laughed in Ana's face, not taking anything she had to say seriously. The noise the miltary macaw made at last got Kipo to snap out of his trance. His eyes narrowed with hateful fury towards the heartless predator, and his wings curled into fists. Kipo knew he could use his height to his advantage. If only Javier didn't carry that gun, a fight between the two would be a piece of cake. Kipo growled in the most authoritative tone he could muster: "You let her go right now!"

The military macaw nodded his head and to everyone's shock, unwrapped his wing around Ana's neck. He allowed her to stand right in front of him, but still pressed the hole of the gun into the back of her head. Ana stood fearless, in spite of the danger she knew she was in. When she'd been in the bar with the scarlet macaw, she permitted him to see her sweat. Things would be different today. She refused to let Javier feed off her fear. "You can have this worthless beauty queen all you want you slimy, duck-billed freak! All I desire is your watch. You toss that to me and I'll shove her right at your feet; God knows I want to push her."

Kipo looked down at his wing, contemplating the decision. He knew that he couldn't trust Javier. After all, the bird was insane. But, he needed to do something to save Ana. Jewel turned her head toward the spoonbill and recognized the look in his eyes; she held the same one when she made up her mind to give her flower to Javier in the aviary. After she did, he still tried to kill her babies. Jewel knew that the same would happen to Ana if Kipo surrenderred the object. She ran over to him and grabbed onto his wing, startling the spoonbill. Kipo tried to shake Jewel off, but she held on firm. Looking into his eyes, Jewel meant business. He'd hear her out whether he wanted to or not. "You listen to me Kipo, he is nothing more than a liar. He has tricked us several times in the past. If you ever hope to hold her in your wings again, do not give him that watch. It's the only piece of leverage you have."

The conflict in the spoonbill's eyes grew. An ominous click split the silence of the night air and drew every bird's gaze to Javier. Kipo's anxiety grew tenfold as he realized that the military macaw cocked the gun. One squeeze of the trigger would be all he needed to end Ana's life. The sadistic smile on his face said it all. Kipo could tell that Javier hoped he would listen to Jewel. Then, he'd have an excuse to spill more blood of casualities in his sick plot for domination.

Though he knew deep down he wasn't thinking lucidly at the moment, Kipo gathered all the strength he stored in his muscles and flung Jewel off of him. The Spix's macaw landed a foot away from him with a loud thud. In an instant, half of his friends descended on her to offer aid. Kipo recognized his opportunity and undid the clasp on the watch he'd worn every day since his father passed. He clenched it tight in his fist, not willing to part with it at first. But, then he thought about it a little more. His father was already dead and he could do nothing about that. Rather than hang on to the last thing he possessed to remember him, Kipo preferred to save the bird he loved that was still alive.

Not paying any attention to his friends' protests and before they could hinder him, Kipo flung the watch at Javier's talon. A wide grin on his face, the military macaw plucked it up with his beak and stashed it in his ruffle of feathers along with the flower. True to his word, he kicked Ana to Kipo a second later. Disbelief washed over the face of every bird present. They could not comprehend that Javier didn't pull the wool over their eyes this time. He let Ana return to Kipo!

Ana didn't waste a second. She lept off the ground and into the wings of her mate. Kipo spun her around, and stopped when Javier got a view of nothing but her back. He looked into Ana's gorgeous gray eyes, and she blushed under his gaze. He felt so happy that he made the right decision in the end. Ana rested safe and sound in his embrace. Tonight, he'd make it up to her for all the stress she went through. "I'm never going to let anyone take you away from me again," he promised. "You are all mine."

Ana's heart danced in her chest as she pulled Kipo's bill towards hers in a hungry kiss. There wasn't any bird in the world she'd rather belong to than the spoonbill. In the end, their love conquered the evil of the present situation. Sure, they were all far from out of the woods. Javier now commanded half of what he needed to take over Rio. However, they would all come up with a plan to deal with him later. Right now, she only cared about being with the bird she adored. After all she'd put up with, she earned this chance to be happy.

Of course, Javier just couldn't let her have the opportunity. He interrupted their blissful moment with sarcastic clapping of his wings. Ana separated from Kipo and spun around on her talon. She could not contain her anger any longer, and it exploded out of her like a volcano. "Alright, you got what you wanted; now get lost! You've taken up enough of our time already!"

Javier held up his wings in surrender, still holding onto the gun in one. When he dropped his wings back down, though, the weapon rested at his side harmlessly. "You know what Ana, you're right. I've got all I came here for, and your boyfriend has what he wanted too." The military macaw shrugged his shoulders, a "whatever" smile on his face. "There's no point in trying to win you back anymore; you've clearly made your choice." He chuckled, earning strange looks from the group of birds. "It's funny because this whole situation reminds me of that one saying. What is it again?" He tapped his chin with the gun, deep in thought. All of a sudden a lightbulb went off in his mind, and he grinned. "Oh right, it goes like this. If I can't have you…"

A shot rang out in the night. Everything happened so fast it almost seemed like nothing happened until the sickening thud that followed hit the ears of every bird present. A horrified gasp arose from every Spix's macaw, every toucan, a cardinal, and a canary. Some placed wings over their beaks in shock. Others, the canary to be more specific, ran to the bushes and vomitted in them. Meanwhile, a spoonbill dropped to his knees and used his wings to apply pressure to a gunshot wound. Fear, terror, and devastation crossed his face as he shouted commands of "stay with me," or words of encouragement like "it'll be OK."

However, after only a minute or two, the victim's body went limp. Kipo's heart shattered into a million tiny pieces as the gray eyes of the blue and gold macaw he'd fallen in love with stared back at him, the life inside of them gone. He picked up one of her wings, soaked in blood and placed it to his beak, not caring that it now tasted salty. For a moment, no one said anything until one bird had the audacity to speak. A delighted grin on his beak, so wide it threatened to break his face, Javier repeated his previous sentence. "If I can't have you Ana, then no one can."


	17. 17 Will Our Birds Fly Or Fall?

**Author's Notes:**

**Hello Everyone. **_**Please take the time to read this message as it contains important information regarding changes to my schedule. **_**Before I get to that; however, I want to address some confusion I caused last chapter. While reading the reviews, I noticed I led some people to believe Kipo and Ana both died at the wings of Javier. Only Ana died and I sincerely apologize for not being more clear. Getting back to my schedule, on Tuesday, August 20 I go back to high school (yes, it absolutely blows). What this means is I should be able to update pretty much the same as before. HOWEVER, school comes first. If I have a lot of homework or tests to study for, fanfiction will need to be placed on the back burner until my time clears up. The delays shouldn't be that bad, but I wanted you all to be aware so you didn't think I left the archive. Thank you so much for being understanding with both issues and I hope you all enjoy this next chapter! :D**

**Chapter 17: Will Our Birds Fly Or Fall?**

No one really wanted to say anything. After all, what could there be to say? They just lost one of their friends, someone who'd become a real ally to them. Now, her body lay flat on the grass of the clearing just outside of Rafael's grotto. Ana stared up at the sky, which grew brighter thanks to the appearance of a half moon. To any passerby, it might have been thought she was a fan of stargazing; although, the expression on her beak could have caused questions to appear in their mind. The terrified frown glued onto Ana's face for all eternity rocked Kipo to the very core.

At first, when the bullet hit her upper chest, Kipo could tell Ana didn't feel the pain. She almost ducked due to hearing the telltale sound of a gunshot, but in doing so, blood from the impact sprayed all over her face. At that moment, Ana realized exactly who the target of Javier's evil had been, and her mouth formed a little O of panic. She saw Kipo's eyes widen to the point they popped out of his head, and he immediately knelt down to attend to her.

Ana didn't even take note of the reactions from the other birds around them; she only cared about how one responded. If she hadn't been so worried about the growing pool of blood under her body, which Kipo attempted to stop from flowing by pressing his wings on her wound, she would have thought about how her death would affect the spoonbill. Ana knew he'd likely be devastated. Many times before, Kipo let her know that he loved her more than anything else in the world. If she perished today, their relationship would end before it really got a chance to begin.

About thirty seconds after the foreign object invaded her body; however, Ana started to feel weak. Her vision blurred, and Kipo's pleas for her to be okay along with his instructions became distorted. _So this is how it must feel before you faint, _she thought. Ana knew, though, that passing out wasn't the end game here. With startling clarity, one thought kept playing in her head over and over until her mind at last went black. _I'm gonna die. I failed; I failed everyone. _She would have cried but couldn't manage to make the tears fall. Then, all of a sudden, almost as if someone cut the cords from her eyes to her brain, the world in front of Ana disappeared. It would never return again.

Kipo took in a sharp breath of air, feeling his heart skip a beat. He touched two of his wingtips to Ana's neck and prayed that he would be able to sense a pulse. Kipo waited, but only despair washed over him as his wing got greeted by no sensation at all. He bent his head and let a solitary tear fall from his eye. It landed on the ground and mixed in with the red lake that continued to pour from his girlfriend, though, much slower now.

Kipo just couldn't believe that he hadn't been able to save her. Everyone meant for this night to be one of fun and celebration. Rafael threw the party to honor the love and committment shared between the two Spix's macaws that were also two of his best friends. Earlier that evening, Ana confessed her past misdeeds to Kipo, but they managed to reconcile, knowing that above all their love for each other outweighed Ana's transgressions. The future burned so bright for the young couple. Kipo thought of this anniversary event as an omen that he and Ana would be together for many more years to come. Now, he'd never have another chance to look into her eyes. Never again would he hear her sweet voice, or watch her sweep her feathers away from her face. He wouldn't get to join her on her workouts, listening to the Enrique Iglesias discs she always exercised to. Worst of all; however, he could no longer hug or kiss her and feel the warmth of her body as she returned his embrace.

Thinking of all these facts, a crushing sense of guilt and loneliness sat down on Kipo's chest and took up residence there. He felt so overwhelmed and sad that he could hardly breathe. He just wanted to be able to touch Ana one more time. So, Kipo reached out, his wing shaking so hard he could barely manuever it two inches downward. After what seemed like an eternity, he made contact with one of Ana's wings. Once a mesmerizing shade of dark blue, they now appeared crimson. Taking hold of it, Kipo lifted her wing up to his beak and kissed it. The blood that enveloped the wing transferred to his feathers, making him look like a predator who just devoured an animal he'd caught in the woods.

That irony made Kipo hate himself all the more. He would never hurt Ana in a million years, and just seconds before her death he said to her that he'd never let anyone take her away from him again. Now look where they stood. Kipo shook his head, too angry to cry. _I failed; I failed her. Why couldn't that bullet have hit me?_

The sound of a vicious cackle broke Kipo out of his self-loathing. He lifted his head up slowly to take in the sight of Ana's cold-blooded murderer. The military macaw made Kipo sick to his stomach as he raised his wings in victory, one still clutching the gun that ended Ana's life. Kipo's eyes narrowed into slits of pure and utter hatred toward the heartless villain. His breathing accelerated, powered by the rush of adrenaline that coursed through his bloodstream. Kipo, almost unconsciusly, curled his wings into fists so tight his wingtips started to lose their pinkish color. Preparing to charge the macaw, he stopped when Javier's beak spread into a sadistic grin.

Javier couldn't contain his excitement over the evil act he'd just gone through with. The thrill of killing never failed to satisfy his twisted desires, but one fact made it all the better. Kipo would live the rest of his life knowing that he couldn't save Ana. She died right there in front of him, and he'd been helpless to stop it. "Oh poor, poor Kipo. It is quite the shame your little girlfriend will never see the light of another sunrise. Until the end of time, she will rot in a dark, worm-filled grave for all the wicked deeds she has been an accomplice in. If only you could have stopped me, but I am simply too smart for you. You need to have eyes in the back of your head before you attempt to deal with me, and even then I will stab you in the back. I pride myself on being the slimiest snake of them all, and you, my friend, just felt the venoumous bite of my fangs."

Kipo pointed an accusing wing at the macaw, his voice coming out as a powerful boom that shook the nearby palm trees. "You sick, villainous monster! I will rip every limb off your body, slap that smirk off your face, and shoot you with that goddamn gun until no one will even be able to tell you were a bird anymore!"

Javier let out an amused cackle that sent chills down the spine of every bird in his midst, including Kipo's, much to the bird's chagrin. "I'd love to see you try! You're nothing but a big blowhard Kipo, while I will soon be the ruler of all the birds in Rio! You and your friends will spend the rest of your lives working for me as my slaves. Others will be soldiers in my army, conquering other peaceful tribes so I may spread my evil across the land. This is much bigger than you, you stupid spoonbill, and you will not stand in my way!" Kipo spit in defiance at the military macaw, earning a furious growl in response. Javier aimed his gun at Kipo, causing Jewel to scream out in fear that another dead body would soon litter Rafael's grotto. "Disrespect me one more time bird and you will end up just like your girlfriend! She didn't know a good bird when she met him. What Ana needed was to be put in her place. Had she chosen to come with me tonight, I'd have punished her by doing just what that scarlet macaw did to her!"

Kipo couldn't take anymore, his anger passing uncontrollable levels as Javier continued his relentless taunts. Letting out a snarl from the deepest part of his gut, he rushed at Javier with the intent to knock him out with a single punch. Javier waved a wingtip at the spoonbill and cackled as he fired a shot at Kipo. The bullet buried itself into Kipo's leg, causing the spoonbill to let out a wail of pain as he tumbled onto the ground.

He clutched his limb, the thick, horrific scent of blood hitting his nostrils for the second time that night. Kipo, too panicked to worry about inhaling properly, felt his breath coming into his lungs in shallow gulps. From behind him, he heard Rafael screaming his name, but Kipo could no longer walk. He wondered if in just a short time he would be joining his lover in the afterlife. Everyone yelled, their voices filled with terror, as a certain bird stalked closer to Kipo. Rather than attempt to fight back, Kipo felt his body and soul give up at that moment. Tears leaked down the sides of his face, but he did not wipe them. Instead, he kept his wings wrapped around the wound on his leg.

Javier used one wing to hold his gun against Kipo's head and the other to move his chin to ensure the spoonbill looked his aggressor straight in the eye. The military macaw grinned, making sure to fully satisfy the moment he'd waited so long for. At last, he had Kipo right where he wanted, at his mercy. Unfortunately for the bird, mercy wasn't in the macaw's vocabulary. Whether or not Kipo met Javier's next demand, he planned to make of him the first example of what would happen if you disobeyed the laws of his future regime.

"Your time is up spoonbill." Javier lifted his head back and let out an insane cackle, unable to contain his excitement. He tapped a talon to his chin, pretending to think long and hard about what course of action to take next. "You know, dear friend, since everything has gone according to plan tonight, I am feeling more charitable than usual. I will be more than willing to spare your life if you get on your knees and bow down to me."

Kipo's breath continued to go in and out unevely, but his brain worked just fine. He couldn't believe what a request he'd just heard. Never in his life had he met someone so touched in the head. _I'll bet you couldn't find a worse psychopath in a maximum security prison. _He narrowed his eyes into slits of white-hot fury and attempted to bite at the macaw, who backed away just in time. "You must be kidding."

Javier shook his head, the smile on his face growing all the more. "Of course not; however, that is not all. While paying me adequate homage, you will admit that I have outsmarted you and broken your spirit. Then, you will tell me what an evil mastermind I am." He held out a wing to shake, already knowing what option the stubborn spoonbill would choose. "Do we have a deal?"

Kipo let go of the hole in his body long enough to slap Javier's wing away with all the force he could muster. "Never! I will never bow down to a coward like you! You claim to be smart and powerful, yet you were so weak and spineless you shot Ana in the back! Even if I die this day, my friends will stop you. You won't rule Rio for even a second."

The military macaw nodded his head and released the safety mechanism on the gun, preparing to fire a deadly shot to the head of his archnemesis. "I hoped you would make this choice Kipo. Now I can have the pleasure of watching you die. While I sit on my throne, watching my brainwashed guards whip the innocent birds of Rio, I'll proudly remember this moment: the day I defeated one of the greatest threats to my power. Farewell Kipo. You were a decent opponent, but in the end, evil always chokes out the good."

CRACK!

Shouts arose from the collection of birds who helplessly watched this incident unfold. They turned their heads to the right after watching the body of a bird fly across the ground, blood spraying from the impact to his head. Each of their mouths hung open so low, the bottom half of their beak may as well have touched the ground. Jewel; however, looked the most shocked of all. While Javier boasted about his victory, Blu snuck over to the bushes that surrounded the area their party took place. Right before Javier pulled the trigger that would have killed another one of his friends, he'd hurled a large rock right at the military macaw's skull. The blunt object met its target with a sickening crack, and Javier fell over onto the grass, knocked unconscious.

Before he could recover from the blow, Blu ran over to the gun Javier dropped and removed the amunition from inside. Then, he tossed the handful of bullets into the bushes on one side of his body and the empty gun in the plants on the other side. Blu whipped himself around to address his friends, who stared back at him with awe and admiration. It wouldn't have ever occurred to them that the soft-spoken, socially awkward bird would ever take such initiative and be so brave. Blu began to speak to them, a look of urgency on his face. "Listen to me everyone! We need to get Kipo to Tulio right away. That wound may not be deadly, but it does have the potential to get infected. Tulio should be able to help. If not, he'll at least know what next step to take."

Rafael's eyes darted back and forth between Blu and Kipo who still sat on the ground, rocking back and forth in pain. "But Blu, he won't be able to fly on his own with that injury. How will one of us be able to carry him? He's bigger than all of us."

Eva turned to Rafael and took his wing in hers. She smiled at him to let him know that everything would be alright. "The important thing right now Rafi is not to panic." She snuck a peek at the spoonbill and tried to determine the best way to solve this problem. "Do you think if you and I grab his lower half, and Pedro and Nico take the upper part of his body we'll manage to lift him off the ground?"

The tension on the face of the male toucan visible to all, Rafael knew they needed to commit to a plan fast. It wouldn't be long before Javier woke up and began to attack them again. After a minute, Rafael nodded his head, though, he continued to look reluctant over their decision. "Okay, but we'll have to fly fast. I don't know how long we'll be able to hold him."

Jewel approached the toucans with an inquisitive look on her face. She failed to see why nobody mentioned her as another set of wings. "Hello, aren't you two forgetting someone? I can help you guys carry him there too."

"No," said Blu. Jewel spun her head to the side and then walked over to her mate. She looked up into his eyes, happy that in this dark situation Blu stepped up and took charge, but she couldn't figure out why no one wanted her to lend assisstance. "I don't get it Blu. You don't think I'm strong enough to do the job? Come on, Kipo's pretty skinny. I think it'll be a piece of cake. What else could I possibly do?"

Blu gestured behind Jewel with his wing. She looked over her shoulder, and her eyes grew wide when she realized Blu pointed to their four children. Each one of them appeared frightened and pale as a ghost. Jewel's heart softened, and suddenly she knew what Blu intended for her to do. However, she also deduced the task Blu left for himself to carry out. Blu saw in her eyes that tears were beginning to form, so he wrapped her into a big hug. Jewel started to sob on his shoulder and tightened her grip around the macaw she loved most. Blu stroked her back and struggled to hold his own tears behind. "Hey," he whispered, "don't worry about me. I'll be just fine."

Jewel gasped, her breath choked with anguish, and she continued to wet Blu's back with the product of her fears. "You saw what he did to Ana. There's no way to know for sure nothing bad will happen to you." She released herself from Blu's embrace and looked up into his eyes, knowing that her own appeared red and damp. "The kids could fly with Rafael and Eva to the aviary, and I could stay with you. We'll fight him off together and get the items back. You know we do our best work as a team; it's always been that way. We're chained-to-each-other birds."

Blu closed his eyes, allowing one tear from each to plop onto the grass. He lowered his head and shook it, ignoring Jewel's frustrated groan. When he lifted it up to meet her gaze once more, he noticed that she was now upset with him. "If something should happen Jewel, our children need at least one of their parents to be there for them. What will they do if Javier hurts both of us? They'll have nobody."

Understanding entered Jewel's eyes, and she let out a nervous shudder. In her heart, she knew Blu made sense. Of the two of them, he'd always been the more intelligent, she the hot-headed one. _No wonder he's making all the calls right now. If you were in charge, your kids would have been forgotten and may have become orphans. What's the matter with you Jewel? You're no good unless you're on your own. _Jewel nodded her head, not wanting to waste anymore time arguing. However, she couldn't leave without doing one thing. Jewel pulled Blu's beak to hers and kissed at like never before, for she knew that this could very well be the last time she'd be able to kiss him. _I'll bet Kipo never would have thought when he woke up this morning Ana would be killed. You don't know you have a good thing until it's gone. _When the two macaws pulled apart, they kept their beaks touching each other. "Please come home to me Pet."

Blu kissed Jewel's head and gave her the most comforting smile he could manage. He didn't want to promise her something that he couldn't do for certain, so rather than saying he'd make it home tonight, Blu told the love of his life: "I'll do everything I can to end this nightmare."

Sorrow settled onto Jewel's soul, and every part of her body drooped as if the life inside her got sucked dry. She knew what Blu's words meant; she wasn't stupid. Indeed, a chance existed that she would never see him again. Jewel turned her back on Blu and walked over to her trembling children. Bending down in front of them, she gathered all four of them into her wings and hugged them as tight as she could. "We're going home now guys. We need to fly fast and not look back, okay?"

Bia released herself from her mother's grasp and looked at her mother, tears in her eyes. Confusion ruled her facial features. "But Mommy, what about Daddy? Isn't he going to come with us too?"

Jewel let out a huge breath but told herself she needed to stay strong for her chicks. She stroked the feathers on top of Bia;s head to calm her down. "We'll meet him there daddy just needs to clean up the party stuff okay?"

Her daughter did not nod her head in reply, but Jewel wasn't really surprised as the five of them took off into the night sky. Of all her children, Bia proved to be the smartest. Jewel didn't think she'd be able to fool her. She just hoped she wouldn't disappoint her.

#

Ten minutes later, Blu and Javier were the only two birds who remained in the clearing. Well, the only two birds still alive. Ana's body did not move from the place she fell when the bullet from Javier's now missing gun found a home in her chest. Blu's friends didn't have much difficulty lifting Kipo off the ground once they all really put their backs into it. At least if Blu didn't make it out of this arena alive, he could rest knowing that his wife and kids would be safe for the time being and that Kipo would live.

Javier dusted himself off as he got his bearings, having woken up to seeing the spoonbill he hated more than anyone else on Earth being carried by the group of birds that foiled his plans again and again into the sky. He let out a furious growl and felt his side for the gun tha came in handy so often that night. However, he couldn't find the object anywhere. Spinning around to look for it, Javier locked eyes on a single male Spix's macaw. His eyes narrowed menacingly at the bird, and he took several steps toward him. "What did you do with my gun?"

Blu just shrugged his shoulders, an amused smile on his face. "Oh, was that what I threw down the river along with your knife? My bad." Of course, Blu hadn't thrown Javier's gun into the water by Rafael's house, only in the bushes. He did the same with the knife, which he took off of Javier's person right after Jewel left. Blu couldn't risk Javier waking up and escaping with the stolen items before Blu returned from the waterway. The military macaw didn't need to know any of this though.

The villainous bird's fury increased tenfold, his green feathers turning a deep shade of red. For the first time, Javier addressed the gash on his forehead that Blu created with the rock he beamed at him. When he removed his wing from the cut, Javier's eyes widened at the sight of it now covered with blood. More of the salty, disgusting substance dripped down his face. The military macaw curled his wings into fists, exhaling in angry huffs. He pointed a shaking wing at his new opponent, the one he now needed to eliminate. "You've just made a huge mistake macaw! I will make sure you regret interfering in my plans when I beat you to a pulp!"

Blu let out a calm breath, trying to remember the way Jewel lowered herself into a defensive stance whenever the two would have a fake fight. He mimicked the image his mind conjured up and made fists with his wings as well. Blu focused on the bird in front of him. At least with no weapons to give Javier an unfair advantage, Blu had a chance to win this battle. He just needed to remember everything at stake here. _You have to end this Blu. If you don't he will go after your family and friends. Worst of all, he will hurt Jewel. _"I wouldn't get so cocky Javier. In case you forgot, allow me to remind you that I've already done quite a number on you. That head injury looks pretty serious; maybe you should have your mommy kiss it to make it better."

Javier couldn't hold back his rage anymore. He charged at Blu, who didn't expect an attack yet. Thus, Blu became pinned to the ground as Javier struck him with his wing. The military macaw grinned as he realized he contained the upper hand once more. Blu struggled to throw Javier off of him, but the macaw proved to be too strong. He laughed, continuing to punch Blu so that small cuts started to appear on his face. It wouldn't be long before another victim fell by his murderous talons. "Stupid bird, challenging me. I will be done with you faster than you can say-"

Blu rolled away from Javier and stood up while the military macaw yelped in pain, clutching the space between his two legs. Blu smirked, proud of himself for being able to knee the bird in the extremely sensitive region. He couldn't resist trash talking him a little bit to throw Javier off his game. "Looks like that hurts! Don't worry about any permanent damge, though, it's not like any female would ever go near you."

The military macaw looked ready to rip Blu's head off now. He shook his feathers, trying to ignore the waves of pain that kept crashing over him. He lowered himself back into the same position, gearing up for round two. "Shut your beak macaw! You don't win a fight by flapping your tongue; you win by landing some good hits. Pretty soon, you will be dead beneath my wings!"

Javier rushed Blu for the second time, but unlike before, Blu was now prepared. He dodged Javier's fist by ducking, and then threw his wing into Javier's stomach. The wind knocked from him, the military macaw jumped back a pace, avoiding a second jab from Blu. Javier gasped for breath, his pulse starting to pick up just the tiniest bit. He may have underestimated the fighter in Blu. After all, his wife seemed to have quite a temper. Perhaps to live with someone like that you needed to be able to defend yourself against them.

The evil military macaw looked around, a frantic gleam in his eyes. To his delight, they locked on something behind Blu and to the right of him. A sly smile crept on his face, while Blu got ready to anticipate another standard attack of his. Though Blu could beat Javier by playing fair, he lacked what mattered in a battle against someone like him. Blu would never fight dirty. Javier ran at Blu once again and the Spix's macaw smiled, confident that he could knock the military macaw down again no problem. At the last second; however, Javier bent down in front of Blu and scooped up some dirt within his talons. Before Blu could react, the military macaw hurled the dust right in Blu's eyes, blinding him temporarily.

Blu hobbled around in a circle, rubbing his eyes raw to rid them of the scratchy dirt that made the fragile body parts unleash a waterfall of tears. When he recovered at last, Blu's eyes felt horrid. He knew if a mirror existed in the jungle for him to examine himself, a macaw with red, bloodshot corneas would stare back at him. _Great, I bet my eyes wll be damaged forever now. I'm going to need surgery or something because of this; I just know it._

His minor issue soon got replaced by a much bigger one as Blu realized that in the confusion, he managed to lose track of Javier's location. Blu looked from left to right, wondering if the military macaw left the battlefield altogether. His heart started to pound as another thought entered his mind. _What if he's heading to the aviary to finish off Kipo? I better get over there right away!_

Suddenly, a flash of light appeared in front of Blu's face followed by the plants and trees tilting from side to side as if they laid on a giant seesaw. Blu felt the back of his head, a giant welt beginning to form. Feeling nauseous and dizzy from the horrific blow to his head, Blu slumped over in the grass, ready to lose consciousness altogether. What kept him from doing so; however, was the sound of a laugh coming from above him.

Blu groaned, squeezing his eyes shut, despite the protests of his brain, in an attempt to quell the stabbing migraine the impact now brought on. He forced them open, knowing he couldn't fight back against Javier if he wasn't able to see the next planned move. _How could one wing cause that much damage? _His eyes widened as their gaze fell on a large, thick branch in the macaw's wings. Javier caressed it like Jewel often did to one of their chicks before putting them to bed at night. Well, that answered his question.

He feared Javier would strike him over the head once more with the branch, causing a concussion if he hadn't already. The macaw only increased Blu's confusion over his intentions by snapping the branch in two on his leg. Each halve now ended in razor sharp, jagged points. Blu's breath caught in his throat. He now knew what the military macaw planned to do. Blu willed his limbs to move, but his mind still remained foggy after the ordeal it'd been put through.

A moment later, Javier leaned in close to Blu's beak, so that mere inches separated the two bitter enemies. Multiple drops of blood continued to slither down the face of Javier, entering his mouth on occasion which formed a malicious grin. Between the blood, murder weapon in his wing, and the look on his face, Javier appeared deranged. He opened his beak so wide, Blu could see his tonsils, and let out a loud cackle that made Blu's heart skip a beat.

Wasting no more time to make his move, Javier slashed Blu across the chest with the branch, opening up a large wound that began to release a thick pool of blood all over his feathers. Blu howled, even though he didn't want to give the bird the satisfaction. He couldn't help it. In all his years and the trouble he and Jewel found themselves in, he'd never experienced pain this severe before. In his heart, Blu knew he only felt lightheaded because of panic, but on the surface, Blu thought the cut bad enough to be fatal.

Javier rubbed his wings together and bounced on his heels like a child whose parents just bought them a balloon at a county fair. He reveled in the Spix's macaw's clear suffering and fear for his life. He rushed around to Blu's other side, so he could run his wing through the fresh blood that kept multiplying upon the ground. Javier sniffed the foul-smelling substance, making Blu want to vomit on the military macaw's talons. Then, he licked it up greedily, savoring the salty, gamey taste as long as it would allow him to.

The macaw sighed and rubbed his stomach, before returning his attention to his victim. He smiled at the bird, an expression Blu returned with a disgusted grimace. "Wow, no wonder you Spix's macaws are pretty much extinct. Your blood tastes like no bird's I've ever dined on before. Your kind truly is a feast fit for a king, which is perfect since I will soon be one."

Blu narrowed his eyes, but he couldn't stop them from rolling back in his head. Though his cut stopped bleeding to where only a thin stream escaped his body, his energy level rested at zero. Blu just didn't have the strength left to defeat Javier. A tear slid out of his eye, which Javier noticed with sheer joy on his face. He succeeded in crushing another bird's belief in himself. Two in the span of a half hour, this meant a new record. "I've failed you Jewel. I couldn't stop him. Even though you won't hear this, I want you to know that I will always love you, and we will see each other again someday."

Javier laughed in Blu's face, forcing the Spix's macaw to cover his beak with a wing, so that he wouldn't smell the military macaw's breath. "God, you need a breath mint! Thanks to that damn blood, you smell like a dead body!"

The military macaw cocked his head, trying not to show that the insult did sting him a little. "How fitting, for a dead body is exactly what you will be in just a few seconds." Javier lifted the branch up in the air, preparing to impale Blu straight through the heart. He couldn't keep the ecstatic grin off his face as he decided to taunt the bird one more time before he killed him. "Speaking of Jewel, what do you think of this? After I slaughter the chicks she made with you, I will make her my queen. We will start our own family together whether she likes it or not, and our kids will ensure my legacy lasts for generations! Green and blue do go together after all."

Blu's jaw dropped and he curled his wings into fists, the will to fight returning to his body once more. Maybe this villain could hurt him, but no way would Blu ever let Javier lay one claw upon Jewel. Just as Blu got ready to sucker punch the bird; however, his eyes widened as Javier let out a shocked gasp. Blu made a similar noise and covered his wings with his beak in pure surprise. Poking out of Javier's feathery belly was the metallic point of a knife. The tip of the blade withdrew from the macaw, causing him to fall over and reveal the bird who saved Blu: Jewel.

Jewel smiled and wiped the blood off the knife with her wing. She shrugged her shoulders and twirled the weapon around. "Well, since the party's over, I thought the knife for the wedding cake might as well get some more use." Blu's heart melted at the sight of the bird he loved more than himself. The look in his eyes didn't go unnoticed to Jewel, and she stepped back a pace. "Woah, uh Pet, are you okay?"

Blu didn't let another second tick by. Forgetting the macaw bleeding out at his side and the now scabbed over wound that still throbbed on his chest, he lept up and embraced Jewel in his wings. The two lovebirds pulled each other into a kiss that dispelled the darkness and sorrow Javier brought to the celebration, replacing it with warmth and sparks of romantic fire. When Blu separated his beak from Jewel's at last, he looked into the perfect, round, sapphires that were her eyes and felt at peace for the first time since Ana and Kipo bounded out of the woods. "My sweet, precious Jewel. I thought I'd never get to kiss you like that again. How did you get here? Are the kids okay?'

Jewel nuzzled Blu with her beak, knowing as long as she stayed in the comfort of his wings, no one would be able to harm her. "They're fine. I didn't go home right away after I took off with them. Instead, I waited for everyone else to pass by with Kipo and sent our children to the aviary with them. I couldn't let you fight Javier all by yourself. I went and got the knife off the dessert table and then just stayed hidden until he made himself vulnerable. I apologize I wasn't able to stab him before he did that to you." She pointed to the scar on Blu's body, which he looked down at. "Please tell me it doesn't hurt as bad as it looks like it does."

Blu shook his head no, even though it did. He didn't want Jewel to worry about him. "Don't worry, it's just gonna be ugly for a little while. I'm just happy that I don't look like him right now." Blu walked over to Javier, who lay on his back, staring up at Blu. He clutched his wing to the hole in his chest, a futile attempt to keep himself alive. Within minutes, he would die. Blu frowned at the bird as he spoke to him for the final time. "Your days spent terrorizing us are over Javier." He reached down and retrieved the flower and Kipo's watch from the macaw with ease. "Now your boss is down to zero items needed to complete his plan, and you're going to die. I'd say none of this turned out to be worth it, wouldn't you agree?"

Javier rolled his eyes and scoffed at the macaw. He proved to be nothing more than a fool each time, but then again, good and caring creatures usually were. "Oh Blu, you don't get it do you? Even though I will no longer be alive, the stench of my evil will never truly go away. Think about all the birds I've brought pain and misery to. Ana's death will eat Kipo alive. He'll blame himself for the rest of his life for letting me kill her today. What about those toucans? They'll always have to look outside their home and be reminded of all the bloodshed that occurred here tonight. Your youngest daughter nearly had her throat slit this evening. I guarantee you that she'll be looking over her shoulder from now on, questioning irrationally whether or not her tormentor truly perished."

He shifted his attention to Jewel, whose anger grew with each word the bird spoke. "I murdered your mother, pretty bird. I destroyed your family. Just because I'm gone doesn't mean they're ever going to come back." Jewel fought the urge to cry. She wouldn't let him get to her, even though everything Javier said held truth. Finally, the military macaw looked at Jewel's mate, his wicked smile growing. "And you Blu, you have that scar on your chest. I hope that each time you see it, you remember the bird who gave it to you. Every time you and your friends think you are living a peaceful life, you will remember I, Javier, the most vicious, cold-blooded military macaw ever to walk the Earth. Then, your despair will return, and I will rest in my grave with a grin on my face knowing that."

After cackling once more, Javier closed his eyes and submitted to the talons of death. Blu turned to Jewel, who hugged herself with her wings, looking ready to bawl her eyes out. He became concerned and stroked her back to comfort her. "Don't let him get to you, Jewel. He wants us to think we didn't win today, but we scored multiple victories. For starters, we avenged the deaths of your mother, Ana, and the countless other innocent birds whose lives he has taken. We got the items Angel needed for his doomsday device back, and we prevented Javier from wreaking any more havoc in this city. He may be right about the fact that we are helpless in changing the past, but at least we did something about the future."

Jewel smiled and nodded her head. She gave Blu a quick hug and then held onto his wings in hers. "Thank you Blu. Thank you for always being there when I feel my worst. You are the most wonderful husband I could have ever asked for."

Blu blushed a deep red and startred to fiddle with the objects in his hands, feeling awkward. "You're welcome Jewel. I would do anything for you. I love you more than you could ever know." Blu lifted his head to the sky, mapping out a flight plan in his mind to the city. "We'd better head over to the aviary to meet up with everyone and give them the good news." He looked over his shoulder, a grim expression settling on his face as he noted Ana's body, still laying where it fell earlier. "Then, we're going to have to give our fallen friend a proper burial."


	18. 18 Thank Goodness For 24 Hour Service

**Chapter 18: Thank Goodness For 24 Hour Service**

Almost as if sensing a serious threat to the city no longer posed any danger, the thick, black clouds that darkened the sky earlier moved from over Rio to cause trouble elsewhere. In their place now, stood a litter of stars that lit up the night sky, along with a massive moon. Blu turned his head all around to take in his surroundings, illuminated by the celestial bodies. This would have been great during his battle with Javier. Maybe he'd have noticed the military macaw slip behind him, and he wouldn't have sustained the cut across his chest. He looked down at it now, wishing he could make it disappear by giving it a dirty look. Blu knew that in time he'd never have to see it again, but he wanted to have escaped the fray unscathed. He didn't like the idea of Javier landing a blow to him that wouldn't heal right away. Just as the macaw predicted, it reminded Blu of the fight the two had and Blu desired most of all to forget tonight.

Jewel shifted her gaze towards her mate as the two Spix's macaws continued to flap their wings, headed to the aviary run by their friend Tulio, so they could meet up with their feathered pals. She arched an eyebrow, wondering why Blu looked so deep in thought. Jewel worried that maybe Javier hurt Blu in their scuffle worse than he let on. She knew that Blu didn't like to freak her out, and this bothered her. _When will he finally get it through his head that I'm tougher than he thinks I am. I'm pretty sure I've proved it enough times. After all, he wouldn't even be alive right now had I not shown up when I did._

The female bird quivered with fear at the thought of Blu not being by her side. Her mind then shifted images to Ana, the blue and gold macaw who wouldn't be there for Kipo anymore. Jewel's stomach squeezed with guilt and regret as she recalled the last few things she'd said to the bird. After Ana revealed why she moved in next to them in the first place, Jewel shot back with a frosty response, even saying how she couldn't believe she let Ana near her children.

Jewel still felt what she told Ana wasn't really bad. In hindsight, the macaw could have very well betrayed them. Jewel would be lying if she didn't admit to herself that she'd been shocked when Ana put herself in danger so that Alicia could fly away from Javier's clutches. The one thing that just kept biting at her heart was that she didn't get the chance to apologize or thank her. She shook her head, the heated debate about how to solve this problem coming to a conclusion in her brain. _I suppose that the second best thing to do is to tell Kipo that you're sorry for not giving his girlfriend a chance. _

Blu looked at Jewel, as if he'd heard her inner thoughts and decided to break the fearful silence between them. Though the immediate obstacle got booted off the playing field tonight, the lovebirds weren't out of the woods yet, and Blu did not forget that. "Um, Jewel?"

The Spix's macaw snapped out of her conflict with herself and blinked her eyes a few times. Blu thought she looked like Linda did when she first woke up, her eyes attempting to adjust to the sudden burst of light. "What?"

Blu looked down at the asphalt roadways below him. At the present, they flew over the district of Rio near Copacabana Beach. The street, often packed with cars and other vehicles going to and from the shore, now buzzed with almost zero activity. Every now and then, a single car whizzed down the road, much faster than Blu assumed the law allowed. He shifted his attention to the dark pink petals of the flower that stuck out of the feathers under his wings. Tucked next to it, the watch that belonged to their spoonbill friend chilled his body, the cold metal making contact with it. "Javier's boss is still going to be looking for these items. I'm sure he'll think that we took them again and hunt us down. We can't keep them at our home, and the hiding place at Rafael's grotto has been exposed. Any new ideas?'

Jewel sighed and closed her eyes for just a moment. She wanted to do it long enough to rid her mind of some of the mounting stress from the evening, but not for such a length of time that she crashed into a large building. After several seconds, Jewel opened them again and shook her head. "I don't know Blu. The samba club sure isn't going to work. Javier attacked us there last year. That means Angel must know all about it too. If I'm being honest here; however, I'd say we have more pressing issues to worry about. Did it go over your head that one of our friends might be dead?"

Blu's eyes widened, and he scoffed at what Jewel just accused him of. He could feel the tineiest bit of anger starting to simmer beneath his dark blue feathery coat. Why did Jewel always have to overreact in situations like these? She couldn't just stay calm and make a plan. She just had to go all emotional and make things harder by arguing with him. He frowned at Jewel, his eyes narrowing, Blu wouldn't let her push him around like this. In the past year, after having to experience a lot of crap from these villians, he'd changed from being afraid of his own shadow to someone who stood up for himself. "No Jewel, it has not gone unnoticed by me that Kipo is in the hospital with a bullet in his leg and that he lost a decent amount of blood. I also didn't forget that before jungle animals get to her body, we need to retrieve Ana and plan a funeral and burial for her. However, in case it slipped your mind, the baddest of Javier's little bunch is still after us, and I'm sure once he finds out we offed two of his team members he's not going to be in the mood to go easy on us."

Jewel hung her head, ashamed at the harsh tone she realized she'd used with her mate. Back when they first met, something like that would have caused Blu to retreat into himself. He'd have apologized even though he wasn't at fault, and Jewel would have forgiven him when she should have asked for his. She liked the fact that Blu toughened up some where he didn't let her treat him in an unfair manner, but that meant that she needed to take responsibility when she messed up. "I'm sorry Blu. What I said was rude. I know I have to keep my head on straight and that we have to come up with a strategy for how to defeat Angel when he comes knocking at our door, but right now I am exhausted."

She looked around at the sky, black except for the twinkling stars scattered across it. A pit in Jewel's belly stretched deeper and deeper with longing. "I just want to be at home right now, sleeping next to you on our bed. I don't want to have to deal with all of this. Why can't we ever get a chance to relax and live a normal life? Other birds get to go out with their friends, play with their children, and actually have a good time at their anniversary party. With us, everything gets ruined by evil creatures, from that crazy cockatoo to Javier. I'm starting to believe we're cursed or something."

Blu almost laughed at the thought of the two macaws under a hex placed by some cartoon witch, complete with a flying broomstick and bubbling green cauldron. However, his eyes filled with pity as he realized Jewel didn't say it to be funny. From the pout on her beak to the tears welling up in her eyes, he could tell his best friend in the universe felt hopeless, that things would never get better. "Hey Jewel, listen to me. We will get through this, just like we always have. Think about what we did tonight. We managed to take down a bird that has killed more animals than all the ones the smugglers kept in that back room. As long as we have each other, there isn't anything we can't accomplish. We don't have to figure out what to do with the items right now. In fact, I'm sorry for suggesting that we did. We'll worry about things we can control for the moment, like comforting Kipo. Later on, when our plate clears up, we will move on to future problems."

Jewel shook her head, still not understanding where all this newfound confidence came from her husband and why she couldn't have the same awakening. "You were so amazing at the celebration Blu. How you took charge, keeping everyone in check while doling out tasks, I just wish I could do the same. Tell me how you manage such a thing. If I had to do something like that, I would panic, just like I did when my home got destroyed. I ran away without a plan and got lost in the rainforest."

"It's hard to explain, Jewel." Blu looked sideways at her, trying not to sound cocky. "I guess because of all those FBI shows that I watched with Linda," Blu said with a laugh.

Jewel arched a confused eyebrow at her mate. Whenever he began talking about anything related to humans, she couldn't help but draw a blank. "FBI, what's that?"

Blu tapped a talon against his chin, thinking of a way to say it that Jewel would understand. "Well, they're kind of like prtectors. They help people who are in need, so often they find themselves in dangerous places."

Jewel nodded her head, impressed. "Wow, they must be pretty brave to walk right into trouble like that."

Blu chuckled. "Yeah, and whenver they need to perform their duty, they were taught to do so in a calm manner. If they didn;t. The agents could have made poor decisions that may have led t the loss of innocent lives." Blu shrugged his shoulders. "It's certainly not easy to act nonchalant when there's a killer right in front of your eyes, but I just did by best to emulate their example. If you could have seen through my feathers earlier, you'd know that I felt scared out of my wits. However, I didn't show my true emotions because I didn't want anybody, especially you, to worry about me. I needed you to believe that I could take on Javier by myself; although, as we discovered, that turned out to be false."

Jewel took a moment to think on what Blu told her, ignoring the bigger words he used such as "nonchalant" and "emulate." From the context of his little speech, she was able to substitute in synonyms that would be better suited to someone who didn't grow up in a bookstore, reading complicated literary works for days on end. It made her feel much better to know that she hadn't been alone in her fear. If one thing bothered Jewel, tougher birds than her did. She wouldn't admit an insecurity like that out loud of course, but deep down Jewel knew she felt this way. Her whole identity she built as a predator to survive couldn't be shredded just like that. She took pleasure in the fact that Blu gave her credit where she deserved to earn some for her part in the defeat of Javier.

She bumped into Blu on purpose to regain his attention after he started to look away again and smiled. "Well Agent Blu, in my book you accomplished your mission. If you had the bird who knows you better than anyone else fooled into thinking you were Mr. Tough Guy, then you played Javier for sure."

Blu blushed at Jewel's compliment. "Thank you." When he looked down, he noticed the low, white-painted rooftop of Tulio's aviary. A shy smile crept upon his beak as he remembered the bird he met there for the first time, Jewel. He hadn't visited this place since Jewel's cast got taken off the day before they moved to the Blu Bird Sanctuary. Blu wondered if after a year he would be able to recall the layout of the building. _I bet I'll get us lost, and we'll end up in a freezer or something where they keep the shots cold. _

The two Spix's macaws began to hover in place above the circular driveway that ran right up to the front door, a small sidewalk separating the asphalt from the entrance of course. Moving his head a little to the left, Blu saw a dark-red, almost maroon, motorcycle parked at the curb. Two helmets dangled from the left handlebar. The macaw arched an eyebrow at it, trying to figure out why Tulio never attempted to retrieve the Jeep that Linda told him Fernando traded for the vehicle, so that they could rescue Blu and Jewel. _Well, I suppose Tulio actually grew fond of riding that bike. For all I know, he no longer falls off of it, embarrassing himself in front of all of his clients. _

He turned to look at Jewel, who met his gaze with a question in her eyes. "Do you think the front door is locked? I really hope not because I don't feel like crawling through that air vent into the fake jungle, then wandering through the halls trying to find Kipo's room. Maybe if it's open, we'll get lucky and bump into Tulio right away, or at the very least someone who works for him."

Blu waited a few seconds before giving Jewel an answer. He squinted his eyes at the entrance, which didn't do him much help except strain his vision. A thought popped into Blu's head; however, and he decided to share it with Jewel. "You know, there may be a decent chance that we can go inside that way. Do you remember the baby shower that we had in the artificial rainforest last year?"

Jewel nodded her head. She would have crossed her wings, but she needed to stay airborne. "Yes, but what does the room I don't want to go through have to do with the front door?"

The male macaw let out an impatient huff. Blu took a deep breath in and let it out slow, doing his best not to raise his voice at his mate. It would only earn him a punishment Jewel deemed suitable for his sass. "The point I meant to make is that Tulio came in to bring us snacks that afternoon. What this means is that he saw us with Rafawl, Nico, and knows that we're friends with them. My hope is that he will have left the door unlocked, thinking that we would come check on our buddy if we knew he was in danger."

The misunderstanding cleared from Jewel's eyes like a dense fog lifting from a valley, leaving behind glistening drops of morning dew. She set her sights on the door below them, focused on the next task. "Let's give it a shot then."

Blu followed Jewel as she dropped her altitude, landing on the brass doorknob that protruded from the navy colored door. She clasped it with her talon and gave it a good, hard pull but he door would't budge. Jewel panted from the effort she put into the job and shook her head, feeling annoyed. "Dang, I guess it's locked after all." She rolled her eyes, unhappy that they'd now have to take the long way around the side of the building. "We'd better get moving. By the time we reach him, Kipo will have made a full recovery and the kids will be adults."

Jewel's mate cracked up laughing at her, making her face heat up with humiliation. She narrowed her eyes at Blu and screeched: "What's so funny?!"

Blu motioned with a wing for Jewel to hop off of the doorknob, and she obeyed. However, as they switched places, Jewel dug her claw into Blu's talon. "Ouch!" he shouted, hopping up and down, the injured talon in his other. He shook it to relieve it of some of the pain and glared at Jewel. "What was that for?"

Jewel looked away from Blu as she hovered in the air, feeling stubborn, like she didn't owe him a reason. "You were laughing at me! Why would I know how to open a door? I've never done it before! Stop acting like you know everything; it's getting really old."

Blu tilted his head toward the ground, realizing what he did that made Jewel so upset. "I'm sorry Jewel," he whispered. Without telling Jewel the mistake she made by turning the knob to the right rather than the left, Blu opened the door and let Jewel fly in first. As she passed him, she said they'd be okay as long as he quit being a know-it-all. Blu promised he wouldn't act like that anymore and let the door creak shut behind them.

#

Blu and Jewel entered the lobby of the aviary, the polished white linoleum floors gleaming up at them. Due to the time of night, the red leather chairs, set up along the left wall for patients to sit and wait in, rested empty. Blu also noted that nobody stood at the reception desk, since the birds arrived after typical office hours. For a moment, Blu's face became creased with worry. The whole place just seemed too quiet. He feared that his friends never even made it to the aviary. If that happened to be the case, on the other hand, why wouldn't Tulio lock up. _Maybe he forgot; the man does have a right to mess up after all. We all do it as I exemplifies so well outside just now._

As usual, though, Blu got himself all worked up over nothing. The sound of leather shoes clomping down the hard floor made Blu jerk his head up in the direction of the long hallway that led from the waiting room down to the examination areas. A relieved sigh escaped Blu's beak at the sight of Tulio's familiar tall, lean figure walking towards them. He didn't greet them as he was busy studying a chart that he held in his hands. Head bent, he flipped a few pages before dropping the clipboard that held them off at the receptionist's desk.

When Blu took a closer look at the ornithologist that helped them several times in the past, he saw that Tulio appeared pretty exhausted. His hair stuck out, but not in his usual curls. He rubbed his eyes and shook his head, in an attempt that Blu assumed was meant to keep him from falling asleep at the late hour. Judging from how long they'd been out tonight, Blu guessed the time to be after midnight by this point. He didn't want to keep Tulio waiting longer than needed, so Blu let out a loud squawk that sent the man jumping a foot into the air.

Tulio whirled around, hand over his heart and taking deep breaths. He fixed his glasses which became tilted thanks to the surprise the Spix's macaw gave him. Jewel hovered next to Blu in the air, resisting her strong urge to laugh so as not to look like a hypocrite for yelling at Blu after he made fun at her expense. "Blu, Jewel, you two almost gave me a heart attack! For a second there, I thought you two might be the thugs who injured the spoonbill your friends brought in an hour ago."

The two Spix's macaws exchanged a glance at each other. They knew they couldn't even bother to explain what really happened to Kipo. Tulio wouldn't be able to understand one word they said. Instead, they flew closer to Rio's resident bird doctor and made the most concerned faces they could manage, eyes so wide they nearly bulged out of the birds' heads. Tulio bent down to scratch the feathers under Blu's chin, Linda told him once that Blu preferred to be stroked there. She proved to be right as the motion brought a big grin to Blu's face. "I bet you two came to see how he is doing." He motioned for Blu and Jewel to follow him and started to proceed down the corridor.

As Tulio led them deeper into the building, he explained Kipo's condition. "He's lucky that your friends managed to get him away from whoever shot him. My guess is that the smugglers who tried to capture him realized they made a poor call by hurting him so bad. No one would buy a bird with a fairly serious wound like his. They likely left him in the jungle and ran off, in case someone heard the gunshot and called the police."

The trio swerved to the left, down another lengthy passageway. Along the walls hung blue plastic signs with white capital letters on them that served as the directory of the structure. Blu stopped to check out where they were headed, assuming their destination to be "Surgery Recovery Areas."

Tulio stopped a bit of a ways further along the hall, outside a wooden door with a glass frame in the center. Big, black numbers on the panel labeled the room: 114. As he turned the knob and opened the door, Tulio continued his spiel. "It took a while to remove the bullet from his leg, and by the time he got here he's lost a fari amount of blood. I needed to rig up a transfusion, but he's doing a lot better now. You two and your pals did the right thing by coming to me. If he'd been left alone, that wound could have gotten a lot worse, and he might not have made it." He placed his hands on his hips and nodded his head at two toucans, a cardinal, and a canary keeping watch on a small, wooden bedside table. "You all saved his life."

Blu and Jewel landed next to their friends, the four children that belonged to the Spix's macaws hiding behind them. Jewel wrapped up her three younger chicks up in her wings, while Blu took hold of Carla. In Blu's wings, Carla began to whimper, tears coming to her eyes. "Daddy, i'm so sorry. It's all my fault. I told Alicia she could go to the waterfall to draw it, so she wouldn't bother you guys while you danced. If I'd said no, she never would have been in danger."

Blu squeezed his daughter tight and then lifted her up, so he could look into her eyes. With a gentle touch, he wiped away the liquid that dripped from her eyes. He gave her a smile to let his daughter know that he didn't hold a grudge against her. "Hey, honey listen to me. What happened tonight wasn't anybody's fault except Javier's. He was an evil, heartless bird who cared about nothing except gaining as much power as possible, no matter who he had to hurt along the way. Whether or not Alicia wandered off, he would have made sure he got his wings on the flower and watch he needed, even if it meant killing us all."

Carla nodded her head but didn't respond. She let her dad put her down and walked over to stand by Pedro and Nico who each placed a supportive wing on her back. In time, she'd manage to forgive herself, but Carla just couldn't see herself doing that right now. Too much horrible things happened that evening, like the attempted murder of the spoonbill to her left. Blu approached his best friend, Rafael, and gave him a hug which the toucan returned with a smile. "You and Eva did great amigo." He then turned to look at Pedro and Nico, who blushed under Blu's approving glance, an emotion the two rarely displayed. "So did you guys. This teamwork saved Kipo's life."

Rafael nudged Blu in the side, and chuckled. "It was nothing Blu. We were just happy we could lend a wing to our favorite warrior over here. Tell me, is the nightmare over? Did you and your Juliet put an end to the plague that haunted this city?"

"Yes." Jewel placed her three younger children down, but kept Alicia from joining the others. She crouched down and tilted her baby girl's head so that Jewel looked right into her eyes. "Javier is dead. He will never hurt any of us again."

The fear in Alicia's eyes reduced to the point where it no longer could be seen. A wide smile broke out across her face, and she rushed forward to give her mother another big hug. "Thank you Mommy." She turned her head to her father and grinned at him as well, the elation in her voice ringing out loud and clear. "Thank you Daddy. You two sure taught that big meanie a lesson!"

"Yeah! He didn't stand a chance against the Realest Heroes of Rio!" Pedro punched the air with his wings, earning a shout of laughter from his canary friend.

"I bet he's really wishing he took Ana up on her offer now!" Nico yelled but clapped his wings over his beak when he realized his slip up. Every bird in his vicinity turned to glare at him, but their attention shifted quickly at the sound of loud sobs coming from the bed beside them.

Laying on standard hospital bed sheets, a thin scratchy tan blanket covering the lower half of his body, Kipo wiped his eyes with his massive wings, looking horrible. His eyes appeared red and puffy, patches of dirt blotted his white feathers, turning them an ugly shade of gray. He kicked off the comforter with his good leg to reveal the cast wrapped arounf the one that fell victim to Javier's wickedness. "That doctor guy said that now that he removed the bullet, the wound should heal within a few days." He swiped a wing across his nostrils and sniffled, big, fat tears continuing to leave dark splotches upon the white, crinkly bedsheets. "But, he also told me that I won't be able to walk for two more weeks." Kipo turned his head from side to side, searching his friends' faces, full of pity, for an answer he knew they couldn't provide. "What about Ana? How can I go to a funeral for her if I can't move? Her body will start decaying by then! I won't even have a chance to say a proper goodbye."

Nobody really knew what to do for a good couple minutes. They all just stood there, listening to the spoonbill bawl his eyes out and shout on occassion how "he missed Ana", or "why couldn't it have been him because she had so much more to live for." Eventually, Blu decided to hop down from the table and wrap his wings around Kipo's pinbone of a neck. He stopped producing tears by this point and just kept breathing in sharp, uneven spurts of air. "Even if we can't have the ceremony with Ana's body there, you'll still be able to say goodbye."

Kipo shook his head vehemently, not wanting to hear anything but what he desired. "No, you don't get it Blu. You've never had to deal with something like this before. Your wife and kids are all alive and well, while my girlfriend is dead in the middle of the rainforest. She had nobody, not her parents, not any friends that she knew liked her for sure, just me. That son of a…" Kipo paused, remembering there were children in the room and just punched the pillow to his left. "He took her from me, and since he shot me I can't even pay my respects. He knew just what he was doing. He won."

Blu turned Kipo's head toward his and stared at him with a serious look in his eyes. Whether the spoonbill liked it or not, he would hear what Blu needed to say. "I know exactly what it's like to never be able to bid farewell to someone you really love the way you want to. I'll never get to say goodbye to my parents. I'd give anything to spend just one day with my mother or father, but I won't get that chance. I can't even mourn them because I don't know if they're dead or alive. I know this may be hard to believe Kipo, but it's better that Ana is dead than the situation with my parents because at least you have closure. Once we have the funeral, body or no body, you will also have peace."

Kipo didn't say anything. He just crossed his wings over his chest and pouted. Even though he knew Blu's words held truth, Kipo didn't want anybody's sorrow or solutions. He wanted Ana to be alive again. He just wanted to be able to hold her in his wings one more time, to kiss her, to tell her that now that Javier died she'd be free forever. But, Kipo knew in the very bottom of his heart, none of that was possible. Ana wasn't ever going to come back, and she wouldn't want him to live like this for the rest of his life. She wasted so many of her years being angry at the scarlet macaw who hurt her, and now Kipo realized he fell for the same trap with Javier. If he didn't climb out of it soon and let go, he would push away his friends, be left alone, and possibly fall into the wrong wings just waiting to take advantage of his anger.

After several minutes, he looked up at the concerned expressions of his buddies and thought that if these had been who Ana saw in the alley that day and not that vicious falcon, things would have occurred so much differently. Kipo needed to realize how lucky he'd gotten. He nodded his head and smiled, to the confusion of everyone around him. "You're right Blu. Ana would want me to find peace, not ruin my life feeling vengeful like she did. Once I recover completely, we'll hold the funeral at the site where she found happiness for the first time, at the base of the Christ the Redeemer statue."

Blu nodded and wrapped his wings around the spoonbill once more. This time, Kipo squeezed him tight, and both birds began to weep on each other's shoulders. In between shaky breaths, Blu managed to say: "I think that's a wonderful idea."


	19. 19 Farewell, Girl Next Door From Hell

**Chapter 19: Farewell, Girl Next Door From Hell**

Each night, the sun sets and the moon rises. Everyday, cars come into a city while others leave. It is a known fact that many people and animals are born each day, in contrast, creatures pass on. Blu tried to keep these things in mind while he used the sharp end of a twig he found lying in the grass at the base of their tree to comb his feathers. A serious, stone-faced expression blanketed his facial features. If he hadn't been moving his limbs to smooth out his plumage for the occasion, one might think Blu should be the one getting buried six feet underground.

The Spix's macaw couldn't help but get lost in thought at the moment. He'd never needed to go to something like a funeral before. Of course, he didn't have any friends back in Minnesota besides Linda, so there wasn't anybody he would have the potential to say goodbye too. Still, it didn't make this particular time go any easier. What did you do when the body of the bird supposed to go in the grave got snatched up by a jaguar before you even got a chance to get back to the site of her death?

Blu shuddered as he recalled Kipo's reaction when he broke the news to the spoonbill the next morning. He knew that Kipo held out hope that somehow he would get to see Ana one last time, even if it meant holding her bare bones. Now, he wouldn't be able to even do that; he'd just have to grieve an empty hole. Kipo didn't even cry when he found out from Blu. He just nodded his head, an identifiable look slipping from one eye to another, and then stared out into space until Blu got so uncomfortable he bid farewell.

Jewel stood behind Blu and looked over her shoulder at her mate. She'd been busy making sure her children looked their best for the somber event they had to look forward to later. Jewel averted her gaze to the floor while continuing to fix Bia's feathery crown with the ridges of a pinecone. She wondered what Blu contemplated by the entrance to their home. _He's been awfully quiet since the night of the anniversary party. I just wish I could say something to help him, but he's back to not opening up to me. _

Bia let out a little squeal of pain and rubbed her head with a small, light blue wing. In the middle of her mental conversation, Jewel yanked the pinecone back too hard, ripping out several of her daughter's feathers in the process. The little blue blobs floated lazily to the floor of their home, carefree as can be. Jewel scoffed at the sight of them. Though they were just inanimate objects, they angered her. It seemed like the world set out to mock her at every turn by always sending her bad luck. She couldn't catch a break even when she already felt beaten down beyond possible limits.

Jewel placed the pinecone down at her side and ran her wing as gentle as she could manage across Bia's feathers. She smiled and shushed her daughter who continued to grimace with discomfort, the odd sensation of upset nerves tingling atop her head. "I'm sorry Sweetie. I got caught up in thinking about where we're going today. Are you doing alright? I know that you and Ana used to have a great time when she babysat for us." Jewel looked further to the back of their tree where the rest of her children all sat in various locations, ready to go but waiting for their mother and father to finish up. "You all loved her very much."

Bia didn't let her siblings see her cry often. It was obnoxious enough that they used her love for reading and learning new things as material to make fun of her; she didn't want them to call her a baby either. In a situation like this though, Bia knew how healthy crying could be. She read about it in a book all about proven ways to process grief. Bia took it out of Linda's library when she went on a trip to Linda's house with her father. The tears started to come, big and fat, ploping one after another onto the tree bark below the chick.

Jewel's eyes widened and she wrapped her tiny girl up in her wings, unsure if the reason for her tears could be traced back to her missing Ana or Jewel being careless with the feather brushing. Bia's head buried in her mother's shoulders, Jewel placed the tip of her chin on Bia's back, which she patted to comfort her. "Bia, listen to me." She released her child from her grasp and bent down in front of her. With one wing, she tilted Bia's head downward so that she wouldn't hae any chance but to look her dead in the face. "I know this is so hard to understand. You're still so young, and I never imagined you'd ever need to experience something like this so soon. I'll be with you every second of the ceremony. If you need a shoulder to cry on at any point, just give a little tug on my shoulder." Bia didn't seem to follow Jewel's words the first time, so Jewel pointed to her right shoulder for emphasis. Bia nodded her head, which she should have done faster because she heard Jewel's every word.

"Thanks Mom. It's good to know that you'll always be there for me." More tears fell from her eyes and Bia covered her face with her wings, unable to stop sobbing. She shook her head, worrying everyone in the tree except for Blu, who still continued to look out at the dark jungle. Bia's brother and sisters felt the salty liquid beginning to brew in their eyes as well. They knew exactly why Bia cried even harder after she spoke. They learned two weeks ago with their next door neighbor that a bird won't always be there for you. Some die and you don't know when you won't see them ever again. Someday, their mom and dad would perish too. What would they do then?

Jewel squeezed her daughter in her wings as hard as she could, struggling to fight her own urge to cry. She knew all too well this harsh reality. In her lifetime, her mother got murdered, her father went missing, she never saw any of her friends again after she got lost in the jungle, and the evil macaw who killed her mom almost did the same to her youngest chick recently. Jewel let out a shaky breath, trying not to let the sadness in her voice become noticeable to Bia who couldn't see the broken look on her face. "It may be true honey that I won't live forever; no one does. However, until the day my breath leaves my lungs for the final time, I will never abandon any of my family. If I have the gift of living until I am an old Granny Bird…" Jewel paused for a second until Bia stopped giggling. Jewel grinned, knowing she was on the verge of making everything okay again. "Then I'll still care for you all even if I can only move at a snail's pace."

Bia looked up at her mother, a tiny smile on her beak. Her eyes reflected hope for the future and reassurance. After all, Bia knew her mom didn't let anything throw her off her game. Her dad, meanwhile, looked as if he was unraveling. "I love you Mommy."

Jewel gave her young chick a quick kiss on the cheek and then motioned for the other children to mosey on over. "I love you too Bia, more than anyone on Earth could even know."

The gathering of Spix's macaws took a couple steps over to the man of the household, Blu. Jewel cocked her head, bewildered at what he continued to do. He just kept going over the same couple of feathers with a stick in his wings again and again. Blu appeared to be stuck in a deep trance.

Carla felt just as confused as the rest of her family. She'd left her earbuds on the back tree stump where she sat before Jewel called them all over. Therefore, she was tuned into this particular topic of her father acting weird. Carla raised an eyebrow and decided to be the first one to speak. "Hey Dad, um, it's time to go." When Blu didn't answer, Carla shook out her feathers, hoping she didn't mess up the combing routine Jewel gave her too. She turned back to her mother and rolled her eyes. "He probably can't even hear us. That bird over there is trippin' mad hard."

Now Jewel couldn't help but raise her brows. In addition, she tapped a talon against the bark floor of the tree. After a few minutes of still no response, Jewel grew impatient with these dramatic antics. She waltzed right up to Blu and swiped the twig out of his wing. He jumped quite high into the air, and before he reached the ground, Jewel chucked the stick out of the window.

Blu's heart continued to pound as he recovered from his little scare. Jewel retreated a pace after taking in just how crappy Blu looked despite trying to clean up for a while now. His eyes bugged out of his head, red and bloodshot. Jewel wondered when could have been the last time he got at least a full eight hours of sleep in. Blu once told her this was a must if a human wished to live a productive life. Jewel crossed her wings and couldn't resist thinking. _Huh, I guess this is what happens when you decide not to follow your own advice._

Jewel decided to try for a lighthearted tone to break the barrier of ice Blu constructed around himself over the period of time that passed since their encounter with Javier. She chuckled to herself, causing a strange look to enter into Blu's eyes. "Thinking about me, I hope?' Jewel wrapped her wings around Blu and pulled him into a supportive hug. He didn't exactly return the gesture too well, and Jewel couldn't fathom why. When she followed his eyes; however, the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.

Her husband stared a hole through the bark in the tree opposite their own. Blu bet that if he looked long enough at it, lasers would pop out of his eyeballs. and he'd be able to catch the wood on fire. Then, he could see the entire interior of Ana's former home once more. The past couple of days, Blu and Jewel went over to the tree to find items they could collect to use as a sort of tribute to her at her gravesite. He shook his head, unable to prevent his mind from wandering back to when someone inhabited that home.

"I feel like I let everyone down, Jewel." Blu turned to face his mate, unable to look at Ana's former home any longer.

Jewel looked even more confused than ever now. This didn't make even the slightest bit of sense. How could Blu have disappointed them? If he didn't conjure up his plan on the fly, they would have all been goners that night. "I'm sorry Blu, I don't quite understand. You handled the situation the best out of any of us at the party. What do you believe you could have done different? I honestly don't think a better outcome could have been reached."

A guilty, regretful tear fell from Blu's eye onto Jewel's claw. She waved her talon around to shake off the water and then stroked her mate's cheek with her wing. She smiled at him, wanting him to know that he could tell her anything on his mind and she'd be there to make him feel better. Blu let out a tortured breath and shook his head once more, trying to rid his body of the crushing weight of his emotions. "I should have thrown that rock at Javier before he got a chance to kill Ana and wound Kipo. If I'd been brave enough to take a stand, there wouldn't have been any casualties and Kipo would still be happy. Ana would get to live her life, reformed and in love. It's all my fault because deep down I'm just a coward. I'm afraid of everything, even sticks and leaves in the jungle."

Jewel rolled her eyes, remembering how crazy Blu drove her the evening they first met when he jumped at every plant that grazed his body as they looked for a place to stay. Her caring attitude returned within seconds; however, and she grabbed onto Blu's sides with her wings. More tears threatened to spill from Blu's eyes, but Jewel wouldn't give them the chance. "You're far from a coward, Blu. Would someone scared of their own shadow challenge a bird who has murdered countless creatures to a wing-to-wing battle? Would they jump out of a plane to save the Spix's macaw they loved more than anything? No, of course not. If you were really that weak Blu, you would have gone back home with Linda when she gave you the option before we moved here. But, you didn't do any of that. You're strong and brave, Blu. You did all you could do; you did way more than anybody else did. At least you had the guts to throw the rock at all. The rest of us just stood there like duds, waiting to get a bullet in our heads."

The tension and misery in Blu's eyes drifted away little by little until his light brown eyes started to twinkle with appreciation for Jewel's kind words. His heart began to pound quicker due to the closeness between him and his mate. He reached out and brushed Jewel's feathers, making her adorable smile grow even larger. Then, Blu leaned in and kissed Jewel, wishing they were the only two birds in the room at the moment. He guessed that his children made gagging noises and stuck their tongues out behind their parents' backs, but he didn't care. Blu loved Jewel so much for always making him feel better when he got down; he wanted to show that great love for her.

When the two birds separated, they just looked into each other's eyes for a bit. Jewel turned away a touch so that the intensity of Blu's gaze wouldn't make her feel nervous. He placed a wing on her shoulders to get her to look at him once more. "Thank you Jewel. I love you so, so much. I don't know what I would ever do without you. If I lost you, I wouldn't want to live another second on this Earth. There wouldn't be any reason to go on; I'd never be happy again."

Seriousness entered Jewel's eyes and she stepped closer to Blu so that their heads touched. She nuzzled his beak with hers and allowed a tear of her own to splash down in the inch of space that separated the couple. "I'll always be with you Pet, even after I'm long gone. We'll forever be connected in our hearts by the love we have for each other. You'll never be alone Blu, and neither will I. Our bond can't be broken even by the forces of the darkest evil."

Behind them, Blu and Jewel's children didn't do what their father believed they'd been up to. In fact, they shed their own tears of disbelief to what they saw in their home. Sometimes it just amazed them how deeply their parents cared for each other. It reminded them of the animated princess movies that Alicia liked to watch on the TV, only better because it occurred in real life. Blu grinned and kissed Jewel again, a chuckle escaping his beak. "Well, at least we did something about that notorious evil that's still haunting the back of our minds. He'll never find that flower and watch. If he wants to get it, he's going to have to pay a visit to Linda's house. Good luck even finding a way in there."

Jewel nodded her head and took a step back from Blu. Her mate told her he thought of the perfect place to hide the items, and last week, he took it upon himself to stick the objects Angel needed for his plan in a crevice between the ceiling of Linda's closet and one of its walls. Never in a million years would the falcon or any other creep he might have on his payroll think to look there. As far as that part of their troubles was concerned, they didn't have to fear. She looked over her shoulder at her chicks, who stood together ready to depart their home. "We'd better get going everybody. If we don't start moving our tailfeathers pretty soon, our friends will think we died."

Nobody laughed at Jewel's morbid joke, so she turned a few shades redder. She realized that maybe it'd been too soon to try to find some humor in the bad hand the universe dealt them as of late. Blu didn't chastise his mate, however. He just wanted to get this show on the road before they'd all cried so much, their supply of tears would be spent prior to the funeral. He motioned for his family to follow his lead, and then he spread his wings and flew out of the tree's exit, his wife and kids right behind him.

#

By the time the group of Spix's macaws touched down on the dirt path leading up to the base of the Christ the Redeemer statue, their other buddies already arrived. Pedro and Nico sat on the concrete steps, conversing with each other. Blu noticed that the canary did not wear his signature bottle cap hat. He assumed that Nico left it behind out of reverence for the solemn occasion. Rafael stood on the far side of the stone platform, looking out over the city of Rio. All the bright lights from the numerous buildings illuminated the region, so one could see for miles. The water collected in Copacabana Bay reflected the beams from the artificial light sources off of its pristine surface, and the specks of light glittered in the air.

Silence reigned that evening, not a sound could be heard anywhere besides the noise Pedro and Nico made while they talked. Blu couldn't help but be impressed with the creatures in the jungle nearby. He wondered if they sensed the tragic, sedated vibe the group of birds shared and knew they should treat them with respect. Blu became startled out of his meditations when he felt a wing tap on his shoulder. He spun around and formed a warm, apologetic smile at the bird that stood before him.

Kipo hung his head low and crossed his wings over his chest. He looked from left to right at the ground as if planning the quickest route to escape. Slowly, he lifted his neck to a straight position, so he could look the Spix's macaw in the eye. Kipo's voice trembled and cracked as he spoke. Blu could tell his friend was on the verge of breaking down. "T-t-thank you for coming guys. I really appreciate it and I know that A-Ana would too."

Saying the name of his lost loved one proved to be too much for the spoonbill and he began to cry. Kipo covered his eyes with his massive, curtain-like wings so that the sound of his sobs could hardly be heard. When the rest of the birds gathered saw Kipo's current state, they hurried over to offer a consoling pat or kind word. Pedro hovered next to Kipo's shoulder and patted it a few times. A frown sat on the cardinal's beak, quite unusual for someone so happy-go-lucky most of the time. "We're sorry dawg. We know how much you must miss her."

Rafael hugged the spoonbill from the side, even though it looked like he tried to hitch a ride on the bird's leg. Kipo just towered over them that much. "We're all here for you amigo. She was an excellent bird and she will be missed greatly."

Jewel nodded her head and stroked Kipo's back. A tiny smile crossed her beak. "Indeed. Her motives may not have been pure at the beginning, but she proved what kind of creature she really was deep inside. A loving, compassionate bird who would stick her neck out for anyone in need. I owe my daughter's life to her bravery, and I only wish I could have been able to say that to her face."

Kipo shuddered with grief, his eyes red and scratchy from all the tears. He looked down at the scar on his thin leg. Though walking still proved to be a little difficult, Kipo healed up quite well over the last two weeks. The last time he saw his friends happened to be a few short days ago when he got released from the aviary with a clean bill of health. He turned his head in many different directions, taking notice that not one side of his body didn't contain a friend of his. A smile came onto his face, though, tears still filled his eyes. They'd all been by his side through so much. Bringing him to Tulio after he'd been shot, visiting him in the hospital almost daily, and now saying goodbye to his girlfriend with him after she lied to them the majority of the time they knew her. He couldn't have met any more amazing birds than these. "Thank you all. You're the greatest amigos in the world."

He hobbled over to the stone steps of the statue, wincing in pain as he progressed. Blu rushed over to give him a helping hand. He slid underneath Kipo's left wing and wrapped his own wing around the spoonbill's body so that Kipo could balance better. "You're doing great Kipo. Even though it may not seem like it at the moment, you've actually healed more than most victims of a gunshot wound to the leg. Often, it takes months for them to learn how to walk again. You're already doing it great by yourself; I'm just here to make it even easier."

When Kipo and Blu reached the steps at last, the spoonbill patted the Spix's macaw on the back and grinned at him. "Thanks so much for the help Blu, for everything really. If you hadn't disarmed Javier when you did, I'd be a goner right now. You saved my life, and I am in debt to you. If there is anything you ever need, do not hesitate to ask. I'd give the world to you if you wanted me to."

Blu shook his head and took a step back from Kipo. "You don't owe me anything Kipo; I mean it. I think you may have forgotten, but you helped me out first when Javier showed up at the samba club last year. You helped Jewel get back to the aviary when she couldn't fly on her own. You saved her life, and I simply repayed the favor. As far as I'm concerned, we are totally even."

Kipo nodded his head and hopped up onto the top stair as best as he could without falling onto his face. "If you insist Blu, but that doesn't mean I won't be in your corner when Javier's boss comes to town. We'll all face him together. There's no way I'm going to let some tyrannical falcon make a slave out of me."

Blu curled his wing into a fist and stretched it towards Kipo, so he could meet it in a fist pump. "Thanks Kipo, it's great to know that we won't have to face him by ourselves. I should have told you guys about this trouble a long time ago. It was stupid to try to handle it all on my own."

"We all make mistakes Blu. I made one the day Ana told me who she really was. I said some really horrible things to her which I will regret for the rest of my life." Kipo ran a wing through his feathers, ashamed to admit such a thing. "The important thing is to learn from them like you're doing now, accepting help from your friends. I'm trying to make things right as well by what I'm about to do right now." He gestured behind Blu to the group of birds who stood on the grass below them. "If you don't mind joining them, that is."

Blu nodded his head and walked down the steps to rejoin his friends. He stopped next to Rafael and whispered in the toucan's ear. "So, where's Eva? Did you have to sneak out to come here?"

Rafael shook his head and placed a wing in front of his bill so that Kipo couldn't see them talking. "She's at home watching the kids. Eva didn't think she should come to this anyway since she only met Ana the night she died. She worried it might seem insensitive, like she was a tragedy lover or something."

Blu didn't get a chance to reply because at that moment, Kipo cleared his throat and everyone turned to face him. He bowed his head and lifted it once more, a small smile on his face. "I just want to thank everyone again for coming to this. I know none of us knew Ana all that well, but she really meant so much to me." Kipo laughed, a faraway look coming into his eyes. "I'll never forget the day she came up to me at the bar after the rest of you all left. She asked me out and I just felt so nervous. I didn't want to mess anything up because I'll be honest, I never went on a date before her."

The group of birds laughed at this confession from Kipo, and it put a grin on his face as well. "Yeah, anyway, the date ended up going fine, and then we didn't really see each other much until the night of the talent show." Kipo's face grew more concerned as he recalled this next memory of him and Ana. "She became very upset that evening for reasons I didn't understand and left the building. I know I never told you guys what really happened that night after we left, but when I found her her she was distraught. She told me about this terrible thing that happened to her in her past, and I comforted her. She'd never revealed it to anyone else before, and I just remember feeling on top of the world. Only someone who loved you would entrust you with their deepest, darkest secret."

Kipo let out a huge, shaky breath before continuing. "Okay, so maybe that wasn't the worst thing she ever told me, but at least she came clean on the night of Blu and Jewel's anniversary party." The spoonbill could sense the chill run down the backs of every bird present as the images of the horror of that event unfolded before them. "At first, I got extremely angry with her. I thought everything we had together was a lie, that she never cared about me, only about my watch. However, I came to realize that though our relationship started out as a farce, her feelings shifted to more real than ever. We emerged from the jungle that day as a stronger couple, ready to take on the world."

Tears then came to Kipo's eyes, but he choked them back. He couldn't let himself cry yet, not before he finished giving Ana the proper sendoff she deserved. "She just got taken from us too soon by a heartless, evil creature that I'm sure has no chance of being redeemed. Ana on the other hand, showed her true colors to us all in the moments before she died. She is the kind of bird we should all aspire to be: selfless, brave, compassionate, and one who puts the safety of other animals before her own. I have no doubt that she rests peacefully in the afterlife, for though she made some bad choices throughout her life, she turned herself around just in time."

Now Kipo let his tears fall, prompting the rest of the gathered birds to begin to cry as well. The memory of their fallen friend hung in the air too much to resist any longer. They could almost feel her standing in their midst, nodding her head with approval at the actions they all took to honor her. Kipo sniffled and started to speak once more, his words now coming out in big gasps. "I'm sure if Ana were here right now, she'd brush her feathers out of her face and say "Come on guys, why are we crying? We're not on camera for some kind of cheesy, tragic romance film. We should be having a good time."

Kipo rubbed his eyes with his wings, unable to see clearly due to the continuous waterfall of tears that burst forth from his eyes. "Ana always wanted to have a good time. She showed me that there's more to life than just living day to day, doing the same things over and over. Ana changed me into a whole different bird, one willing to take risks. If it hadn't been for her asking me out, I would have never had the guts to pose such a question. So, I am announcing that I will be leaving in a few days to go on a tour of South America."

A collective shocked gasp arose from his friends. Their jaws dropped and their eyes widened in utter disbelief. Kipo never left the city of Rio. He didn't even go to the Blu Bird Sanctuary, and now he wanted to travel all over the continent? They started to wonder if missing Ana made him go crazy. Kipo chuckled and raised his wings in the air to issue for silence. When the confused chatter died down, he smiled, no more tears falling down his face. "The one thing I learned from this experience is that life is short. If I'm gonna die one day, I don't want to do it without stepping outside my backyard. Besides, it might be good for me to get away from this place for a little while. You know, take a break from all the things that remind me so much of Ana."

Blu nodded his head and decided to chime in, hoping that in doing so he didn't seem rude. "I think that's an excellent idea Kipo. You should go on a trip and have some fun. If anybody deserves a good time, it's you."

A chorus of agreement echoed Blu's response from the birds around him. Kipo grinned at his friends' approval and blushed a little. "Thank you guys for understanding." He gestured to a tree at the edge of the jungle that led into the mountains behind the statue. At its base lay several objects that Blu carried over during the last two weeks from Ana's tree. The assortment of things acted as a sort of shrine to Ana. Among the items were her Enrique Iglesias CDs, the pink sweatband Ana always wore when she exercised, and two pictures Blu printed off of the computer in Linda's house. One photo showed Disney's Animal Kingdom, the theme park Ana spent her childhood in, while the other displayed an image of the main characters of the Vampire Diaries, Ana's most favorite show. "Before you all leave today, please visit the shrine Blu helped me create for Ana. Say a quick goodbye or private message to her in your head; do whatever you feel like. Then, I think that will about wrap up our time here together. Thank you all so much again for coming here tonight. Thank you Blu for bringing all the stuff here. I know it's quite a long flight, and I am immensely grateful. Most importantly; however, thank you all for being the best friends a bird can ask for. I love you guys."

All the birds in front of Kipo sprung up and wrapped him in a huge group hug. The showing of care for him brought tears to his eyes for the millionth time that night. He just couldn't get over how lucky he got to have birds like these in his corner at such a low point in his life. When they all let him go after a couple of minutes, the birds formed a single-file line in front of Ana's memorial. Each one paid their respects to the blue and gold macaw that gave her life to help keep them safe from a great evil. Never would they forget the time they spent with her, even if it didn't last too long.

After everybody took their individual turn, Blu and Jewel's friends began to say goodbye to Kipo and wish him well on his journey. The last ones to stay behind even after the spoonbill himself left were Blu, Jewel, and their kids. Blu just couldn't shake the feeling as he stared at Ana's belongings that she would still be alive if he'd acted sooner. No matter how many times he apologized to the mound of objects, his conscience wouldn't clear. He put his head in his wings, feeling horrible.

His turbulent emotions didn't go unnoticed by Jewel, who approached Blu and placed a comforting wing on his back. "Hey," she whispered in a soothing tone, "are you still beating yourself up?"

Blu nodded and looked over his shoulder at Jewel. "I just wish she didn't have to die, Jewel. I know that I did all I really could, but I'm just so upset that someone got hurt in the end. I didn't want that monster to score even the slightest victory, and although he's dead, he amassed a pretty big one."

Jewel kissed her mate's cheek and turned his head so that he'd be forced to look into her gorgeous, sapphire-blue eyes, the ones that never failed to melt his heart and calm him down. Even now, Jewel could see Blu beginning to relax, a smile returning to his beak. "I didn't want her to die either Blu, but there's one thing you have to keep in mind. Javier only wins in this case if we allow him to. We can't change the fact that Ana is dead, but we can do our best not to let it affect our futures. Great battles still lie ahead for all of us, and we need to stay on our best game. We've all said our goodbyes; it's over. There isn't anything else you or anybody can do. Promise me you won't let this distract you any longer and that you'll stop feeling bad."

Blu nodded his head, unable to argue with the points Jewel made. He couldn't let the military macaw toy with his emotions forever. He needed to move past the night of his anniversary party, or he would never enjoy another day of his life again.

Behind the two macaws came an annoyed shout. "Guys, can we please go? We've been here for like, an hour already and I am so bored!" Blu and Jewel turned around with a laugh at their oldest daughter, Carla, who crossed her wings over her chest in a pout. "Don't laugh at me! This is the time of night I listen to my music. You know that if I don't get to, I get cranky!"

Jewel rolled her eyes with an amused smile and walked over to her four chicks to corral them. "Alright everyone, get ready to go."

Blu chuckled once more and started to move over to where the rest of his family stood. However, as he strolled along, he noticed a folded up piece of paper laying against one of the trees nearby. Blu let out a dismayed huff. _There's no respect for our homes. This is why humans aren't allowed in the Blu Bird Sanctuary._

He changed the direction of his step towards the litter and bent over to pick it up. Blu's eyes almost burst out of his head when he noticed the one word on the paper: his name. His wing shook beyond control as he took hold of the piece and unfolded it. As his eyes scanned the typed words, his heart beat faster and faster until he worried he might have an arrhythmia. The note read:

_Dear Blu,_

_Forgive me, but I don't think we've met. No worries, for we will soon. I just wanted to express my thanks for your help in acquiring one of the items I needed to become the overlord of Rio and eventually, the world. Now I'm sure you're feeling quite confused. What does he mean, I helped? Did I not foil his plans by killing his henchman and stealing the flower and watch he spent years tracking down? Well yes, in that case you have interfered in my schemes. I would be angry; however, you and Miss Brazil did the hard work of subduing Javier for me. You see, after Javier delivered the two objects to me, he would no longer have any use to me. The only other thing he could have helped me with was giving me permission to gut him open, so I could extract his heart. Why would I need to do such a gruesome thing? No Blu, not for the thrill of murder; although, that is an added bonus. It's part of the reason I brought him up to be so despicable. To make the device which will grant me ultimate power, I needed the heart of a bird whose evil, twisted mind compared to the devil himself, and I wasn't about to cut my own out. _

_I thank you and Jewel once more for all your assistance. Your reward, you ask? Around six months to relax and walk on eggshells, wondering when I will leap out of the shadows to reclaim what is rightfully mine. I look forward to the day when we will meet face to face. You would make quite the general for my army, Blu. Just think of all the lands we would conquer together with your brilliant mind. If you ever tire of your boring friends and sickeningly sweet wife, stop by my lair again. I assure you that this time you won't find me asleep, Mr. Detective. _

_With bleeding heart in wing,_

_Angel _

Jewel wondered what could be taking Blu so long. When she walked over to check on him, she cocked her head at the sight of him reading something. Jewel attempted to peer over Blu's shoulder to take a look at what the paper said, but he hid it from her. "Hey what you got there?"

Blu took a deep breath and let it out. He passed the paper to Jewel, so she could observe it. "Oh, just a letter from our favorite psychotic falcon. Apparently, he's so impressed with our performance, he's allowing us to breathe easy for a while."

Jewel's eyes widened as she took in the sentences on the paper. When she finished, she folded it up once more and returned it to Blu. "So, he has one thing he needs after all. Damn it, we just can't get lucky here. Every time we think we're a step ahead of him, we're actually two steps behind."

"Not necessarily," Blu reminded her. "We have item numbers two and three. They're hidden where he'll never find them, and from the sound of it, he won't even go looking anytime soon. I say since he's not worried about causing trouble; we should take this opportunity to relax. We've earned it, the kids have earned it. I'm tired of trying to play superhero. I just want to live a normal life with my family."

Jewel nodded with a grin. She reached for one of Blu's wings and took hold of it in her own. "Okay then, if that's what you think is best, then I trust you. The second we believe he's back, we'll rally the troops and take this guy down."

She turned around and motioned for their children to come over. When they joined their parents, Jewel shook out her wings to warm up her muscles. "What do you guys think about going to the beach tomorrow?"

Excited cheers greeted Blu and Jewel in response, and they laughed at how this night turned a complete 180 from depressing to hopeful. Blu lifted off the ground, his family just inches behind him. As they flew back home to their tree in the Blu Bird Sanctuary, Blu remembered one thing and looked over his shoulder at the rest of his gang. "Just make sure someone reminds me to bring my SPF 3000. The last thing I want is to get a beak burn."

**Author's Notes:**

**Well everyone, this brings Arc 2 of my saga to a close. The other day I had a conversation with Pedro and Nico at the samba club. I told them I was wondering what I should name the overall series, and Pedro gave me an excellent idea: The Realest Heroes of Rio. I gave him a high-five and we held a dance party to celebrate. I try not to brag, but I love my bird friends XD**

**Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this story. Thank you who continued to follow and support me from the first arc. I want to extend special thanks to the reviewers who helped me improve chapter to chapter. Same as before, the first chapter may take just a little extra time to upload. I like to try to outline the next arc before I begin. But, rest assured it will be worth the wait, because in the next one, the master behind it all emerges center stage. Will he take over Rio and tear out Spix's macaws apart, or will they conquer another great evil again? Find out in Part 3. Until then, this is RioloverBardenBellaforlife, signing off ;)**


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